City profile · Maine · Census ACS 2023

Houlton, ME

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Houlton - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

4,958
Residents
$52,227
Median income
$121,700
Median home
$1,224
Median rent (state)

Houlton - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Houlton lands in the 23rd percentile for household income and the 44th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

23rd
percentile, household income
18th
percentile, home value
39th
percentile, median rent
44th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Houlton, ME

4,958 people live in Houlton, Maine - a small town by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. The typical household in Houlton brings in $52,227 a year, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 9.4%. Houlton's housing stock carries a median value of $121,700, and the median resident age is 44.5 years. About 25.4% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 45.5% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Houlton reports a comparatively low crime rate: per-100,000 total crime stands at 1562.5 in FBI UCR data, below the national average (a voluntary reporting program, read this as reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). NOAA puts Houlton's yearly average temperature at 40.7°F with 39.3 inches of precipitation per year.

Maine tracks close to the national cost-of-living baseline: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts Maine at 97.1 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Near Average). A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,224 per month statewide. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in Maine run around $273, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. Natural-hazard exposure scores 80.4 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (High).

Population

4,958 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Maine

Median Household Income

$52,227 /yr

Poverty 9.4%

Cost of Living Index (state)

97.1 (US=100)

Near Average - BEA RPP 2024, Maine average

How does Houlton compare to other US cities?

Houlton measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 23% higher than other cities
Home value 18% pricier than other cities
Median rent 39% pricier than other cities
Safety 44% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

Zoom in to just Maine and the picture shifts: Houlton ranks #54 of 73 Maine cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Houlton's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Maine, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

23rdIncome percentile
44thSafety percentile

23rd percentile nationally for median household income · 44th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Houlton's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Houlton's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 46 Avg. percentile National median
Houlton's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Houlton's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$121,700 Among the most affordable more affordable than 82% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). This entry sits in this band. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Houlton $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Houlton, ME Houlton, ME's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Houlton, ME-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Houlton, ME median $52,227/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Houlton, ME's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Houlton, ME. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 25.4%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 9.4%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 45.5%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
4,958
Median Income
$52,227
Median Home Value
$121,700
Median Age
44.5
Poverty Rate
9.4%
Labor force participation
45.5%
Bachelor's Degree+
25.4%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1562.5
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
49.3
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1513.2
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Climate

Avg Temperature
40.7°F
Annual Precipitation
39.3"
Annual Snowfall
N/A

Schools

Total Schools
4
Public schools in this city

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
79.6%
Carpool
14.7%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
0.7%
Work from Home
5.0%

Based on 1,836 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Maine - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$130
avg/month
Natural Gas
$95
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$48
avg/month
Total Utilities
$273
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Maine state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Maine state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Houlton sits in

Cost of Living Index
97.1
Near Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,224/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
80.4 / 100
High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Maine

Hampden
4,937 people
Farmington
4,879 people
Kittery
5,284 people
Oak Hill
5,365 people
North Windham
5,633 people
Winslow
5,701 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Houlton's 4,958 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Becker, MN
4,958 people
Island Park, NY
4,958 people
Creedmoor, NC
4,957 people
Oakhurst, CA
4,956 people
Adairsville, GA
4,960 people
Robbins, IL
4,956 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Houlton's $52,227 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Weogufka, AL
$52,222 median income
Coram, MT
$52,222 median income
Wrightstown, NJ
$52,222 median income
Baird, TX
$52,222 median income
Reynolds Heights, PA
$52,233 median income
Victory Gardens, NJ
$52,235 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Houlton, ME Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Houlton, ME - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 95.5% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 2.5% White 95.5% Black or African American 1.7% Asian 0.2% American Indian 1.1% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.0% Two or more races 1.5% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Houlton compares to nearby Maine cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Houlton (this city) 4,958 $52,227
Hampden 4,937 $101,417
Farmington 4,879 $39,646
Kittery 5,284 $71,574
Census ACS 5-year FIPS ME FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Houlton, ME?

What is the population of Houlton, ME? +

Houlton, ME has a population of 4,958 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Houlton, ME? +

The median household income in Houlton is $52,227 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Houlton? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Houlton; the closest available measure is the Maine state average, a cost of living index of 97.1 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Near Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Maine vary by metro area.

Is Houlton, ME safe? +

Houlton has a total crime rate of 1562.5 per 100,000 residents, which is below the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Houlton, ME? +

Houlton's median home value sits at $121,700, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Houlton? +

Houlton has an average annual temperature of 40.7°F, 39.3 inches of precipitation. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.