← Map/← Maine/Counties/Lincoln

Lincoln
Maine

35K

Population

$70K

Median Income

$439K

Median Home

R+22

Politics

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What stands out

Against every county in America, Lincoln County is unusual in three ways: the restaurant count per person is in the top 6% of American counties (1.5 per 1,000), the overdose death rate is in the top 7% of American counties (38 per 100,000), and homeownership is in the top 7% of American counties (83%). Within Maine it ranks 3rd of 16 counties for the restaurant count per person.

Where you are

You live in Lincoln County, Maine. 35,466 people live here with you. The population grew 0.6% last year, and more Americans moved in than out (net +412).

Maine has the oldest population of any state, a graduated income tax that reaches 7.15% at moderate incomes, and an estate tax with a $7 million exemption. It does not tax Social Security and exempts a portion of pension income. Coastal property from Portland to Bar Harbor carries prices closer to Massachusetts than to the inland counties, where homes remain inexpensive.

Money

The typical household here brings in $69,638 a year, higher than 73% of American counties. Employers pay an average wage of $53,238. Unemployment runs 2.9%, lower than 69% of American counties. 10% of workers work from home.

Maine takes 6.4% of that median income in state income tax, about $4,459 a year.

Home

The median home costs $445K, pricier than 90% of American counties, about 3.1 years of the median household's income. A two-bedroom rents for around $989 a month. Property tax is 1.01% of home value, roughly $2,789 a year on that median home, higher than 60% of American counties. 83% of households own rather than rent.

Safety and health

Violent crime here is 3.2 per 1,000 residents, lower than 84% of American counties. Drug overdoses killed 38 people per 100,000 in 2024, one of the harder-hit counties in the country.

A child born here can expect to live 80.0 years, longer than 91% of American counties. There are 79 active physicians in the county, about 22.3 per 10,000 people. Medicare rates the local hospitals 3.0 of 5 stars. 8.8% of people under 65 have no health insurance.

School

Local students test at grade level 2.93 where 3.0 is national grade level, lower than 59% of American counties. 95% of adults finished high school.

Neighbors and politics

In 2024 your neighbors voted Republican by 22 points. 84% of eligible voters turned out. Under Maine law you can carry a concealed handgun without a permit, abortion is protected by state law, and marijuana is legal for adults.

Weather and risk

The year averages 46°F, highs near 55 and lows near 37, colder than 89% of American counties. About 40 inches of rain and snow fall a year. FEMA puts natural-hazard risk at 51 out of 100, riskier than 51% of American counties; the county has had 30 federal disaster declarations since 1953.

Getting around, going out

Home internet averages 215 Mbps down, faster than 57% of American counties. There are 3 airports in the county, counting general aviation. For a night or a weekend out: 1.5 full-service restaurants per 1,000 people, 3 breweries, 12 museums, 1 National Park Service site.

Written from the figures below. Percentiles compare this county with every other county that reports the same figure; missing figures are left out rather than guessed.

Economy

Median Household Income$70K
This county
national avg ~$75K
Poverty Rate9.1%
This county
national avg ~11.5%
Unemployment Rate2.9%
This county
national avg ~3.8%
GDP per Capita$47,726
Federal Spending per Capita$734
Median Individual Earnings$41K
This county
national avg $45K
Professional/Management Workers40.8%
Average Adjusted Gross Income$75K
Avg Credit Score686
Work From Home %10.3%
This county
national avg 17.0%
Population Under 1817.0%
This county
national avg 22.0%
Single-Person Households32.6%
This county
national avg 28.0%
Banks & Finance Firms21
Income (20th Percentile)$32K
Income (80th Percentile)$129K
Income (95th Percentile)$240K
Bachelor's Degree or Higher39.2%
This county
national avg 34.3%
Less Than High School5.2%
This county
national avg 11.0%
Knowledge Economy GDP %13.6%
Dependency Ratio0.83
Medicare Spending / Person$3,960
SS Benefits / Person$5,907
Education Wage Premium1.68x
Median Earnings (Bachelor's)$53K
Median Earnings (Graduate)$58K
Median Earnings (HS Diploma)$34K
Public Assistance Recipients2.8%
Average Annual Wage$53K
Professional Services Concentration0.63x national
This county
1.0 = national average share
Federal Government Jobs Located Here74
Federal Share of Jobs Located Here0.6%
Residents Who Work for the Federal Government1.4%
Federal Civilian Share of Earnings0.7%
Federal Contract Dollars Performed Here (FY2025)$1M
Contract Dollars Relative to Local Wages0.00x wages

Housing

Sources: Zillow ZHVI · Census ACS 2022 · Tax Foundation 2023 (effective rates)

Median Home Value$439K
This county
$360K state avg
$303K national
Median Sale Price$443K
This county
$303K national
Market Rent (ZORI)$930/mo
This county
$1500/mo state avg
$1400/mo national
Property Tax Rate1.01%
This county
1.04% state avg
1.10% national

Annual tax on median home: $2,789

Affordability & Supply

HUD Fair Market Rent (2BR)$1,403/mo
Home Price Change (1 yr)+3.0%−+7.5% since 2024
Home Value to Income Ratio3.1x income
Severely Cost-Burdened Households9.9%
Homeownership Rate82.8%
This county
national avg ~65%

Market Activity

Sources: Zillow Research monthly · Redfin

Listings with Price Cuts— Low — market moving fast
11.7%
Active Listings
136
New Listings / Month
34

Source: Zillow Research · Updated monthly

Days on Market (Redfin)— Average pace
44 days
Months of Supply (Redfin)— Balanced market
5.3 mo
Sold Above List (Redfin)
25.7%
Sale-to-List Ratio (Redfin)— Sellers market — homes selling at or above list
99.6%

Source: Redfin · Updated monthly

Health

Life Expectancy80.0 yrs
This county
national avg ~78.5 years
Hospital Rating3.0 / 5
This county
national avg 3.0 stars
Food Insecurity9.8%
This county
national avg ~11%
Food Environment Index8.7 / 10
This county
higher = better access
Primary Care Shortage Score14
This county
national avg 5
Mental Health Shortage Score16
Dental Care Shortage Score16
Healthcare Shortage Score15.3
Healthcare Offices50
Obesity Rate (BRFSS)31.0%
This county
national avg 32.0%
Smoking Rate (BRFSS)13.5%
This county
national avg 14.0%
Poor Health Rate (BRFSS)15.7%
This county
national avg 18.0%
Physical Inactivity (BRFSS)18.8%
This county
national avg 24.0%
High Blood Pressure (BRFSS)29.1%
This county
national avg 32.0%
Active Physicians79
Nursing Home Rating3.5 / 5
This county
national avg ~3 stars
ER Visits per 1,000 Medicare Patients726 / 1,000
Medicare Cost per Beneficiary$10,792
Uninsured (under 65)8.8%
This county
national avg ~10%
Adults with Depression29.3%

Education

Math Test Scores2.92 grade level
Reading Test Scores2.94 grade level
HS Diploma Holders7,234
Bachelor's Degree Holders6,501
HS Completion Rate94.8%
This county
national avg ~85%
Private Schools22

Safety

Violent Crime Rate3.2 / 1,000
This county
national avg ~4.0
Firearm Fatality Rate14.4 / 100K
This county
national avg ~13.6/100K
Drug Overdose Rate36.1 / 100K
This county
national avg ~21/100K
Traffic Fatalities6
Social Vulnerability (CDC SVI)11th pct
Drug Overdose Deaths (2024)38.3 / 100K
Suicide Rate21.4 / 100K
This county
national avg ~14/100K

Climate & Air Quality

Natural Amenity Scale1.6
January Sunshine0.07
January Temperature-0.79
Average Temp46°F-3.0% since 2022
Avg High Temp55°F-3.4% since 2022
Avg Low Temp37°F-2.4% since 2022
Annual Precipitation40.2 in/yr-15% since 2022
Avg Storm Events2.6 storms/yr
Avg Annual Storm Damage$137K
Drought Index (2022)-0.25
Heating Degree Days7,271 HDD/yr
This county
national avg ~4,500 HDD/yr
Cooling Degree Days322 CDD/yr
This county
national avg ~1,200 CDD/yr
Heating Degree Days (1901–2000 Baseline)7,954 HDD/yr
Cooling Degree Days (1901–2000 Baseline)182 CDD/yr
Avg Tornadoes / Year0.0
Avg Flood Events / Year0.8
Avg Hail Events / Year0.4
Avg Hurricane Events / Year0.00
Avg Wildfire Events / Year0.0
Avg Winter Storms / Year0.0
Avg Heat Events / Year0.0
Natural Hazard Risk (FEMA)51 / 100
Community Resilience (FEMA)88 / 100
Federal Disaster Declarations30 since 1953
Fine Particulate Pollution (PM2.5)5.8 µg/m³
This county
EPA standard 9 µg/m³

Outdoor & Recreation

National Park Units1 unit
Historic Places (NRHP)109 properties
FAA-Registered Airports10 total
Airports (excl. heliports)3 airports

Brewery Scene

Total Breweries3 breweries
Microbreweries2 microbreweries
Brewpubs1 brewpubs

Internet & Remote Work

Download Speed215 Mbps
This county
national avg ~120 Mbps
Upload Speed28 Mbps
Fixed Internet (Q1 2026)395 Mbps
Mobile Internet (Q1 2026)124 Mbps
Mobile Upload (Q1 2026)30 Mbps
Mobile Latency (Q1 2026)36 ms
Households with 100Mbps+97.2%
This county
national avg 75.0%
Cellular-Only Internet7.5%
This county
national avg 8.0%
Fixed Upload Speed (Q1 2026)203 Mbps

EV Infrastructure

EV Charging Stations15 stations
DC Fast Chargers0 chargers
Level 2 EV Chargers41

Commute & Transit

Remote Workers1,687 workers
Public Transit Commuters22 workers
Walk to Work (workers)383 workers
Extreme Commutes (90+ min)233 workers
Bike Commuters0.1%
Walk to Work2.3%

Families & Childcare

Childcare Cost Burden30.5%
This county
national median ~27% of household income
Childcare Centers12.2 per 10K residents
Childcare Facilities14

Civic & Community

Voter Turnout84.3%
This county
national avg ~55%
Volunteering Rate1.0%
Income Inequality (Gini)4.018
Nonprofit Organizations344
Veterans Share10.5%
This county
national avg 7.0%
Married Adults54.0%
Never-Married Adults24.2%
Divorced Adults13.9%
Religious Organizations20
Asian Population0.9%
Native American Population0.5%
Membership Associations10.0 per 10K residents

Lifestyle & Services

Full-Service Restaurants1.50 per 1K residents
Nursing & Care Facilities18
Grocery Stores21
Arts & Entertainment Venues12
Hotels & Lodging57
Recreation Businesses24
Professional Services Firms95
Veterinary Practices11
Real Estate Firms52
Museums12
Debt Burden
Avg Mortgage Balance$77K
Avg Student Loan Balance$10K
Avg Credit Card Balance$4K
Loan Delinquency Rate43.3%
This county
national avg 4.0%

Innovation

Inventor Rate0.27%

Politics

R+22

2024 Presidential · Maine was D+6 statewide

vs Maine State

Income tax
7.15%Same (state law)
Property tax
1.01%1.04% state avg
Politics
R+22D+6
COL Index
107state index (no county figure)

Population & Migration

Net Domestic Migration 2023

↑ +412

More people arriving than leaving

IRS Wealth Migration

Wealthier people moving in (IRS: 1.51x avg income)

Economic Mobility

42%

chance a low-income child reaches the middle class

Source: Opportunity Insights

Real Estate

Find Homes in Lincoln County

Median home value: $445K

View on Zillow →View on Realtor.com →

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Explore Other Maine Counties

Androscoggin County, MaineAroostook County, MaineFranklin County, MaineHancock County, MaineKennebec County, MaineKnox County, MaineOxford County, MainePenobscot County, MainePiscataquis County, MaineSagadahoc County, MaineSomerset County, MaineWaldo County, MaineAll Maine counties →

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Taxes, cost of living, crime, schools, gun laws and more.

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Data: Census ACS, BLS, Zillow, USDA Natural Amenities, OpenElections 2024, CMS, NCES. Vintage 2022–2025. News via Google News.

Your Priorities

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Quick Profiles

Dial in your priorities

Annual Income

$150K

Affects effective income tax rate

$0$500K$5M+

Retirement Savings

$0

Affects pension and SS tax burden

None$500K$10M+

Social Security

None

Annual Social Security benefit

None$150K/yr

My Property Is Worth

$400K

Affects property tax burden

Tax burden ↓$1M$50M+

Home Buying Budget

$400K

Compared to state median home price

Hard to find$250K$5M+

Monthly Rent Budget

Don't care

Compared to state median 2BR rent

Don't care$10K/mo

Job Market

Don't care

State unemployment and job growth

Don't careHot market

Airport Access

Don't care

Direct flight destinations from state hubs

Don't careMust have hub

City vs Country

Mid-size city

% urban population

Deep countryBig city

Sunshine

Don't care

Annual sunny days per state

Don't careMax sunshine

Food Scene

Don't care

Restaurants per 100K residents

Don't careWorld-class

Political Preference

Neutral

State's political lean

LiberalConservative

Gun Laws

Neutral

State gun law grade (Giffords)

Gun Control2A Freedom

Abortion Access

Neutral

State abortion access policy

Pro-ChoiceNeutralPro-Life

Community

None

Congregations per 100K residents

AvoidDon't careSeek

Sports & Entertainment

Don't care

Pro sports teams and major venues

Don't careMust have pro teams

Cannabis Laws

Neutral

State cannabis legality

Prefer LegalNeutralPrefer Prohibition

Retiree Community

Neutral

% population 65+ (Census)

Young areaRetirement-heavy

Dating Market

Neutral

% adults never-married (Census)

Singles sceneFamily community

Safety / Low Crime

Don't care

Violent crime rate per 100K (FBI)

Don't careVery safe

School Quality

Don't care

K-12 rank (Education Week)

Don't careTop-ranked

Healthcare Access

Don't care

Healthcare system rank (Commonwealth Fund)

Don't careTop-ranked

Childcare Affordability

Don't care

Cost of living proxy for childcare affordability

Don't careMust be affordable