"Maine's picturesque coastal towns and small cities have long drawn new residents-but that popularity has come with a cost. The state earned a C on the Realtor.com® State-by-State Housing Report Card, part of the Let America Build campaign that evaluates how states balance affordability and new construction. Despite strong demand, Maine's tight housing inventory and slow permitting have pushed prices higher and affordability lower."
"But this problem is not unique to New England. President Donald Trump recently put pressure on homebuilders to increase construction nationwide, given the issues with construction in the country. In a post on his Truth Social platform in early October, he accused major builders of hoarding lots to prop up prices-likening them to OPEC, which restricts oil output to maintain high prices."
"Maine earned a total score of 51.1, placing it near the bottom of the national rankings. The median listing price in 2024 reached $440,523, while the median household income stood at $71,476-a mismatch that continues to strain middle-income buyers. The Realtor Affordability Score came in at 0.58, signaling that only a limited share of listings are within reach for typical households."
Maine's coastal towns and small cities have attracted new residents, intensifying demand for housing and driving up prices. Realtor.com graded the state C with a score of 51.1, reflecting tight inventory, slow permitting, and weak new construction. The 2024 median listing price reached $440,523 while median household income was $71,476, producing a Realtor Affordability Score of 0.58 and making many listings unaffordable for typical households. Maine accounted for 0.4% of new home permits despite representing 0.4% of the U.S. population, yielding a permit-to-population ratio of roughly 0.6. The new construction premium was 40.6%, signaling high costs for newly built homes.
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