Saco, South Portland, Portland: These cities aren’t just some of the best places to live in Maine. They are also home to some of the richest people in the Pine Tree State.
Saco in particular houses the richest residents in the state thanks, in part, to a median household income of $92,241 and a ridiculously low poverty rate of 6.4%.
If you’re thinking of moving to one of these towns, you’ll probably need to start saving. The richest places in Maine share common characteristics such as having a genius level populous, sky high home prices, and a Pleasantville level of married couples.
How did we come up with these mega wealthy cities? We analyzed Census data from the 2020-2024 American Community Survey for the 21 places in Maine with more than 2,000 people.
$92,241 median income · 6.4% poverty · #1 income in Maine
Located in
York County, Maine
Saco is a city in York County, Maine, United States. The population was 18,482 at the 2010 census. It is home to Ferry Beach State Park, Funtown Splashtown USA, Thornton Academy, as well as General Dynamics Armament Systems, a subsidiary of the defense contractor General Dynamics. Saco sees much tourism during summer months, due to its amusement parks, Ferry Beach State Park, and proximity to Old Orchard Beach.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$86,838 median income · 6.9% poverty · #2 income in Maine
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
$79,540 median income · 11.2% poverty · #4 income in Maine
Located in
Cumberland County, Maine
Portland is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maine, with a population of 66,937 as of 2016. This makes it the fourth least populous city in the U.S. to be the most populous in its state. The Greater Portland metropolitan area is home to over half a million people, more than one-third of Maine’s total population. The Old Port district is frequented by tourists, while Portland Head Light is also a destination. The city seal depicts a phoenix rising from ashes, which is a reference to the recoveries from four devastating fires. Portland was named after the English Isle of Portland, and the city of Portland, Oregon, was in turn named after Portland, Maine.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$85,038 median income · 8.0% poverty · #3 income in Maine
Located in
Cumberland County, Maine
Westbrook is a city in Cumberland County, Maine, United States and a suburb of Portland. The population was 17,494 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Portland-South Portland-Biddeford, Maine metropolitan statistical area.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$72,333 median income · 15.5% poverty · #6 income in Maine
Located in
York County, Maine
Biddeford is a city in York County, Maine, United States. It is the principal commercial center of York County. The population was 21,277 at the 2010 census. Twin city of Saco, Biddeford includes the resort community of Biddeford Pool, Fortunes Rocks and Granite Point. The town is the site of the University of New England and the annual La Kermesse Franco-Americaine Festival. First visited by Europeans in 1616, it is the site of one of the earliest European settlements in the United States.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$77,375 median income · 9.3% poverty · #5 income in Maine
Located in
Hancock County, Maine
Ellsworth is a city in and the county seat of Hancock County, Maine, United States. The 2010 Census determined it had a population of 7,741. Ellsworth was Maine’s fastest growing city from 2000-2010, with a growth rate of nearly 20 percent. With historic buildings and other points of interest, Ellsworth is popular with tourists.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$69,390 median income · 12.4% poverty · #8 income in Maine
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
$68,398 median income · 7.8% poverty · #9 income in Maine
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$67,679 median income · 16.0% poverty · #10 income in Maine
Located in
Waldo County, Maine
Belfast is a city in Waldo County, Maine, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 6,668. Located at the mouth of the Passagassawakeag River estuary on Penobscot Bay, Belfast is the county seat of Waldo County. The seaport has a wealth of antique architecture in several historic districts, and remains popular with tourists.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$71,782 median income · 10.5% poverty · #7 income in Maine
Located in
Kennebec County, Maine
Gardiner is a city in Kennebec County, Maine, United States. The population was 5,800 at the 2010 census. Popular with tourists, Gardiner is noted for its culture and old architecture. Gardiner is included in the Augusta, Maine micropolitan New England City and Town Area.
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
Maine statewide median: 10.7%
On the map
Where the money lives in Maine
Saturday Night Science
How we determined the richest places in Maine for 2026
The first thing most people reach for is personal income. After all, rich people have really high salaries. But one statistic doesn’t capture what it means to be one of the “richest places,” so we applied Saturday Night Science to two measures from the 2020-2024 American Community Survey:
- Median household income
- Median home value
Median household income is the most digestible way to understand how rich a place is, and home values are a measure of accumulated wealth. The two combine to define a “Rich City.”
After collecting the data for all 21 places in Maine with more than 2,000 people, we ranked each place from 1 to 21 on both criteria, then averaged the two ranks into a “Rich Score.” The place with the lowest Rich Score, Saco, is crowned the richest city in Maine for 2026.
The full plate
All 21 richest cities in Maine, ranked
Click any column to sort. Search by city name.
| Rank | City | Rich Score | Population | Median income | Median home value | Poverty | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Saco | 1.50 | 20,819 | $92,241 | $520,612 | 6.4% | 2.1% |
| 2 | South Portland | 2.50 | 26,930 | $86,838 | $517,132 | 6.9% | 2.6% |
| 3 | Portland | 2.50 | 68,854 | $79,540 | $557,760 | 11.2% | 4.2% |
| 4 | Westbrook | 4.00 | 20,775 | $85,038 | $449,009 | 8.0% | 2.2% |
| 5 | Biddeford | 5.00 | 22,498 | $72,333 | $505,512 | 15.5% | 3.1% |
| 6 | Ellsworth | 7.00 | 8,657 | $77,375 | $346,769 | 9.3% | 2.8% |
| 7 | Bath | 8.00 | 8,815 | $69,390 | $365,662 | 12.4% | 5.8% |
| 8 | Hallowell | 8.00 | 2,592 | $68,398 | $368,971 | 7.8% | 0.3% |
| 9 | Belfast | 8.00 | 6,986 | $67,679 | $380,697 | 16.0% | 0.6% |
| 10 | Gardiner | 10.50 | 6,088 | $71,782 | $284,200 | 10.5% | 7.5% |
| 11 | Auburn | 11.00 | 24,602 | $66,647 | $321,213 | 13.8% | 7.0% |
| 12 | Brewer | 12.00 | 9,652 | $66,613 | $297,006 | 12.5% | 1.4% |
| 13 | Rockland | 12.50 | 7,035 | $56,533 | $340,484 | 10.4% | 6.6% |
| 14 | Bangor | 14.50 | 31,938 | $59,942 | $281,560 | 17.9% | 4.1% |
| 15 | Lewiston | 15.00 | 38,324 | $55,393 | $296,288 | 20.0% | 4.8% |
| 16 | Calais | 17.00 | 3,097 | $64,096 | $153,921 | 21.4% | 5.8% |
| 17 | Presque Isle | 17.50 | 8,736 | $55,768 | $171,303 | 15.5% | 3.6% |
| 18 | Old Town | 18.50 | 7,470 | $51,585 | $246,067 | 21.3% | 1.8% |
| 19 | Augusta | 18.50 | 19,077 | $47,979 | $273,948 | 18.2% | 5.7% |
| 20 | Waterville | 18.50 | 17,077 | $53,580 | $243,116 | 20.6% | 5.5% |
| 21 | Caribou | 19.00 | 7,382 | $53,709 | $156,306 | 15.5% | 3.4% |
Source: U.S. Census ACS 2020-2024, Zillow research. 21 cities with more than 2,000 residents.
Saco is the richest place in Maine for 2026
When we set out to identify the richest places in Maine, we weren’t sure what we’d find, but it ended up being some of the best places to live in the state. The richest cities in Maine are Saco, South Portland, and Portland, and when you look at the data they sit at the very top of the income ladder for everyone who lives there.
Breaking into the top ten takes a median household income of at least $67,679. If you’re curious about the other end of the ledger, the poorest places are listed to the right.
