If you’ve never taken your family on a ferry ride from Portland to Peaks Island, on a snowboarding trip to Auburn’s Lost Valley, or had a lobstah’ feast in Bar Harbor, then you’ve not witnessed what the good people of Maine already know; they have some of the most family friendly fun in America.
And if that family friendly fun is something you want for your family full time, then HomeSnacks recommends that you take a peek at our top ten best places to raise a family in Maine for 2026. How did we do it? We consulted the US Census on places in The Pine Tree State with more than 5,000 residents. We looked at several factors: crime, education, family friendly activities, and the percent of households that currently have children. We ended up with 29 family friendly cities.
Our conclusion, Maine has a safe, affordable, family friendly places to live for every type of family on any type of budget. For instance, places like Cumberland are great for families just starting out, places like Freeport are every outdoorsy family’s dream, and places like Biddeford are great for families that don’t need to worry about a budget. Now don’t count yourselves out of the mix, parents. There are plenty of available jobs in Maine: they have one of the lowest unemployment rates in the country. And with a $58,000/year household median income to work with, there’s plenty of cheddar to keep your family happy, healthy, and having fun.
Want to know where your family can live in Maine without breaking the bank? Read on.
$93,575 median income · 35.1% households with kids
Yarmouth is a town in Cumberland County, Maine, United States, located twelve miles north of the state’s largest city, Portland. The town was settled in 1636 and incorporated in 1849. Its population was 8,349 in the 2010 census. As of 2015’s estimation, this is about 0.6% of Maine’s total population.
$128,190 median income · 30.9% households with kids
Gorham is a town in Cumberland County, Maine, United States. The population was 16,381 at the 2010 census. The 2012 estimate of Gorham’s population was 16,667. In addition to its urban village center known as Gorham Village or simply “the Village,” the town encompasses a number of smaller, unincorporated villages and hamlets with distinct historical identities, including South Gorham, West Gorham, Little Falls, White Rock, and North Gorham. Gorham is home to one of the three campuses of the University of Southern Maine. In 2013, Gorham was voted second best town in Maine after Hampden by a financial website.
$112,228 median income · 32.2% households with kids
$100,024 median income · 27.7% households with kids
Topsham is a town in Sagadahoc County, Maine, United States. The population was 8,784 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Portland-South Portland-Biddeford, Maine metropolitan statistical area. The town is home to the annual Topsham Fair.
$95,169 median income · 20.9% households with kids
Kennebunk is a town in York County, Maine, United States. The population was 10,798 at the 2010 census. Kennebunk is home to several beaches, the Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge, the 1799 Kennebunk Inn, many historic shipbuilders’ homes, the Brick Store Museum and the Nature Conservancy Blueberry Barrens, with 1,500 acres of nature trails and blueberry fields.
$70,722 median income · 25.6% households with kids
Brunswick is a town in Cumberland County in southern Maine, United States. The population was 20,278 at the 2010 United States Census. Part of the Portland-South Portland-Biddeford metropolitan area, Brunswick is home to Bowdoin College, the Bowdoin College Museum of Art, the Peary-MacMillan Arctic Museum, The Theater Project, and the Maine State Music Theatre. It is also home to Mid Coast Hospital, one of Maine’s newest full-service hospitals. It was home to Naval Air Station Brunswick which was permanently closed on May 31, 2011.
$59,784 median income · 13.9% households with kids
$86,838 median income · 20.7% households with kids
Located in
Cumberland County, Maine
South Portland is a city in Cumberland County, Maine, United States, and is the fourth-largest city in the state, incorporated in 1898. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 25,002. Known for its working waterfront, South Portland is situated on Portland Harbor and overlooks the skyline of Portland and the islands of Casco Bay. Due to South Portland’s close proximity to air, marine, rail, and highway transportation options, the city has become a center for retail and industry in the region.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$84,730 median income · 21.7% households with kids
$69,390 median income · 19.6% households with kids
Located in
Sagadahoc County, Maine
Bath is a city in Sagadahoc County, Maine, in the United States. The population was 8,514 at the 2010 census, and 8,357 as of 2013, the population has had a change of -10.2% since 2000. It is the county seat of Sagadahoc County, which includes one city and 10 towns. The city is popular with tourists, many drawn by its 19th-century architecture. It is home to the Bath Iron Works and Heritage Days Festival, held annually on the Fourth of July weekend. It is commonly known as “The City of Ships.” Bath is part of the metropolitan statistical area of Greater Portland.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
The receipts
Compare the top ten
Pick a metric. The bars rescale. The red line is Maine’s statewide median.
Maine statewide median: $74,733
Maine statewide median: $407,566
On the map
Where Maine’s most family-friendly cities are
Saturday Night Science
Methodology: How do you determine which place is best for families in Maine anyways?
To give you the places in Maine that are best for families, we must look at a handful of metrics. We want to measure the criteria people want in a family-friendly city utilizing Saturday Night Science.
After researching U.S. Census data produced for the state of Maine, we looked at the data for every single city in the state. We paid particular attention to:
- Crime (Both violent and property)
- Quality of local schools
- Distance to a major city without necessarily being in it
- % of households with children
- Family-friendly amenities nearby (museums, libraries, and colleges)
We then gave each city a “Family Score.”
The higher the score, the better the city is for families. We also limited our results to cities with over 5,000 people. For Maine, that meant a total of 29 cities.
We updated this article for 2026. This is our eleventh time ranking the best cities for families in Maine.
The full plate
Best Places For Families In Maine
Click any column to sort. Search by city name.
| Rank | City | Population | Median Income | Average Home Price | % Households w/ Kids |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Yarmouth | 6,289 | $93,575 | $753,763 | 35.1% |
| 2 | Gorham | 7,593 | $128,190 | $535,256 | 30.9% |
| 3 | Hampden | 5,161 | $112,228 | $346,884 | 32.2% |
| 4 | Topsham | 7,271 | $100,024 | $463,781 | 27.7% |
| 5 | Kennebunk | 6,221 | $95,169 | $620,454 | 20.9% |
| 6 | Brunswick | 17,652 | $70,722 | $484,937 | 25.6% |
| 7 | Orono | 11,151 | $59,784 | $299,516 | 13.9% |
| 8 | South Portland | 26,930 | $86,838 | $517,132 | 20.7% |
| 9 | Kittery | 5,110 | $84,730 | $673,218 | 21.7% |
| 10 | Bath | 8,815 | $69,390 | $365,662 | 19.6% |
| 11 | Saco | 20,819 | $92,241 | $520,612 | 25.7% |
| 12 | Belfast | 6,986 | $67,679 | $380,697 | 15.9% |
| 13 | Portland | 68,854 | $79,540 | $557,760 | 18.0% |
| 14 | Westbrook | 20,775 | $85,038 | $449,009 | 25.1% |
| 15 | Ellsworth | 8,657 | $77,375 | $346,769 | 25.2% |
| 16 | Gardiner | 6,088 | $71,782 | $284,200 | 19.9% |
| 17 | Brewer | 9,652 | $66,613 | $297,006 | 27.9% |
| 18 | Rockland | 7,035 | $56,533 | $340,484 | 14.8% |
| 19 | Old Orchard Beach | 9,244 | $60,050 | $501,228 | 7.7% |
| 20 | Houlton | 5,082 | $59,236 | $150,856 | 21.7% |
| 21 | Winslow | 5,873 | $59,547 | $289,403 | 27.9% |
| 22 | Biddeford | 22,498 | $72,333 | $505,512 | 19.2% |
| 23 | Presque Isle | 8,736 | $55,768 | $171,303 | 22.0% |
| 24 | Waterville | 17,077 | $53,580 | $243,116 | 20.8% |
| 25 | Augusta | 19,077 | $47,979 | $273,948 | 23.7% |
| 26 | Bangor | 31,938 | $59,942 | $281,560 | 21.6% |
| 27 | Lewiston | 38,324 | $55,393 | $296,288 | 24.5% |
| 28 | Auburn | 24,602 | $66,647 | $321,213 | 24.9% |
| 29 | Skowhegan | 6,662 | $45,388 | $224,695 | 19.4% |
Source: U.S. Census data via Saturday Night Science. 29 Maine cities with more than 5,000 residents.
Summary
Summary: The Best Places To Raise A Family In Maine
If you’re looking for a breakdown of cities in Maine ranked by criteria that most agree make a place a great spot for families, this is an accurate list.
The best places for families in Maine are Yarmouth, Gorham, Hampden, Topsham, Kennebunk, Brunswick, Orono, South Portland, Kittery, and Bath.
