5 Most Affordable Cities in Maine

Waterville quietly holds Maine's most affordable median home price, yet it is far from a down-and-out city. Colby College has invested hundreds of millions in a downtown revitalization effort — new restaurants, a contemporary art museum, and renovated public spaces have transformed the main drag without pricing anyone out. It's a city in the early stages of something real, which means now is the time to pay attention.

• ✦Lowest median home prices in Maine
• ✦Colby College cultural programming
• ✦Major downtown investment underway

Maine's second-largest city is the sleeper pick for people who want a real city feel at a small-town price. The historic mill district has bones that most cities would pay fortunes to replicate, and a serious arts movement has taken root in the converted brick buildings along the Androscoggin River. Lewiston's Franco-American heritage gives it a distinct culture you won't find anywhere else in New England.

• ✦Second-largest city in Maine — real urban amenities
• ✦Historic brick mill district with serious character
• ✦Growing arts and restaurant scene

Auburn sits across the Androscoggin River from Lewiston and shares many of the same advantages while offering a more suburban, family-oriented feel. It tends to attract young families moving out of southern Maine looking for space and school districts they can afford. Lake Auburn provides a stunning natural amenity right at the edge of the city — swimming, kayaking, and fishing in summer, ice fishing and skating in winter.

• ✦Higher median income than Lewiston
• ✦Lake Auburn — pristine swimming and recreation
• ✦Strong school district reputation

Maine's state capital is the most overlooked city in the state. Its location on the Kennebec River is legitimately beautiful, the Capitol complex is architecturally impressive, and the job market is stabilized by state government employment. For people who need predictable incomes and want an affordable entry point into Maine, Augusta offers exactly that — with the added bonus of being within an hour of both the coast and the mountains.

• ✦State government provides a stable job base
• ✦Kennebec River access — paddling, fishing, trail systems
• ✦Within an hour of the coast and western mountains

Saco is the most expensive city on this list — but compared to anywhere else on the eastern seaboard, it still represents extraordinary value. You get actual beach access (Old Orchard Beach is minutes away), an easy 20-minute commute to Portland, and a downtown that has done quiet, steady work at improving itself. For people making the move from Boston or New York and unwilling to fully leave civilization behind, Saco is the compromise that doesn't feel like one.

• ✦Minutes from Old Orchard Beach and the Maine coast
• ✦Commutable to Portland (20 min)
• ✦Higher income base — strong local economy