Housing Affordability in Maine: What It Means for Midcoast Communities
Published: May 2025 | Updated March 2026
The National Association of Realtors recently released a report offering a real time analysis of the current housing market. And it got me thinking about the role I play as a real estate agent in today’s economy.
Middle income buyers (those earning between 80% and 120% of the area median income) continue to have limited access to the housing market. And when housing becomes out of reach for them it becomes even more inaccessible for households with more limited financial resources (those earning less than 80% of the area median income).
“Only 23% of listings were affordable to the typical middle-income household nationwide in 2023. That’s down from 50% in 2018.”
Housing is a human right, not a commodity
|
Housing is a human right, not a commodity |
Our teachers, our service providers, our builders, our healthcare workers, our commercial fishermen, our young families. When the very people who hold our small coastal communities together are priced out of the places they call home we all feel the impact. We feel it when local businesses can’t hire or retain staff because workers can’t afford to live nearby. When schools struggle to fill teaching positions and volunteer fire departments go understaffed. When fishermen commute from inland towns and young families leave in search of more affordable communities. We see it in neighborhoods that sit empty half the year and in the slow erosion of the local traditions and institutions that define us. Affordable housing isn’t just about shelter it's about keeping the soul of our small coastal communities intact.
turning the tide
While the housing challenges facing Midcoast Maine are real, there are also encouraging efforts underway to help turn the tide — including several initiatives right here in Lincoln County. As I’ve spent more time learning about this issue, I’ve started diving deeper into the many local and statewide programs focused on improving housing affordability and access. For example, MaineHousing’s Affordable Homeownership Program and Rural Affordable Rental Housing Program both have active projects in our region, helping expand opportunities for buyers and renters alike.
For many local residents, the challenge isn’t simply finding a home…it’s finding one that is realistically within reach. Middle income households in particular are feeling the squeeze. This group, often referred to as the “missing middle,” earns too much to qualify for subsidized housing but not enough to comfortably afford current market prices. As a result, many prospective buyers are finding themselves priced out of the very communities where they live and work.
In response, towns across the Midcoast are exploring new ways to expand housing options. Recent zoning reforms have created more flexibility for solutions like accessory dwelling units (ADUs) — small but meaningful additions that can increase housing availability while still maintaining the character of existing neighborhoods. While at the same time, new workforce and affordable housing developments have been announced in several towns and nonprofit organizations are continuing to play an important role in creating both rental and homeownership opportunities.
These kinds of partnerships and creative approaches are an important part of the conversation as our communities work toward building a more sustainable housing future. And while there is no single solution to the housing affordability challenge, there is growing momentum around the idea that increasing housing supply, supporting first time home buyers and creating more workforce housing will be essential to maintaining thriving communities along Maine’s coast.
VIEW LINKS BELOW TO LEARN MORE >
