Bangor, ME
The numbers that matter most
What an investor checks first when sizing up a new metro — affordability ratio, rent vs income, cap rate proxy, and where the market is moving. Each metric shown vs. state and national medians for instant context.
moderate
Price to income
3.06×
The single most-cited 'is this market still cheap' check. Below 3× and you're in an affordability tailwind.
- vs Maine
- 3.45×-0.38
- vs U.S.
- 3.43×-0.37
Benchmark
ACS median home value ÷ median HHI
burdened
Rent to income
31.5%
What share of a typical household's income goes to rent. Below 30% means tenants can absorb modest rent increases.
- vs Maine
- 29.8%
- vs U.S.
- 23.3%
Benchmark
(HUD FMR 2BR × 12) ÷ median HHI
solid
Cap rate proxy
6.68%
Rough first-pass yield assuming a 35% expense ratio. Not an underwriting number — a 'is this even worth modeling' filter.
- vs Maine
- 5.33%+1.34
- vs U.S.
- 4.35%+2.33
Benchmark
(FMR 2BR × 12 × 0.65) ÷ ACS median home value
steady
Net migration
+0.18%
Forward-looking demand signal. Positive net migration drives rent growth and absorbs new supply.
- vs Maine
- 0.19%
- vs U.S.
- 0.03%+0.15
Benchmark
IRS net migration ÷ population
normal
Permit pipeline
3.00
permits per 1,000 residents
Forward-supply indicator. Above ~5 means the metro is building meaningfully relative to its size; below 2 means supply is tight.
- vs Maine
- 3.96
- vs U.S.
- 3.52
Benchmark
Census BPS permits TTM ÷ population × 1,000
healthy
Unemployment
3.4%
Tighter unemployment means higher wages, more rental demand, lower vacancy.
- vs Maine
- 3.3%
- vs U.S.
- 3.9%-0.5
Benchmark
BLS LAUS, latest month
Where prices are and where they've been
5-year price appreciation
+66.7%
homeValues.yearOverYear
+2.4%
Median home value
$193,800
The rent ladder
| Bedroom | Monthly | Annual | % of median HHI |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 BR | $1,313 | $15,756 | 24.9% |
| 2 BR | $1,659 | $19,908 | 31.5% |
| 3 BR | $2,133 | $25,596 | 40.5% |
Labor market direction
Unemployment
3.4%
Median household income
$63,248
What's being built
Total TTM
458
+9.3% YoY
Single-family
300
2–4 unit
54
5+ unit
104
All 1 counties, ranked by population
| County | Population | Home value | Median HHI | Permits TTM | YoY |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Penobscot County | 152,640 | $193,800 | $63,248 | 458 | +9.3% |
Similar metros nationally
| Metro | Pop | Med HHI | P/I | Cap proxy | HPI 5y | Permits/1k | Unemp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ★Bangor | 152,640 | $63,248 | 3.06× | 6.68% | +66.7% | 3.00 | 3.4% |
| Niles, MI | 153,938 | $63,152 | — | — | +57.4% | — | 4.8% |
| Vineland-Bridgeton, NJ | 153,588 | $64,499 | — | — | +70.4% | — | 7.4% |
| Decatur, AL | 156,218 | $63,987 | — | — | +53.2% | — | 1.9% |
| Wichita Falls, TX | 148,523 | $63,618 | — | — | +49.3% | — | 3.5% |
| Bloomington, IN | 161,426 | $62,949 | — | — | +48.5% | — | 2.4% |
Where people are moving in from
Net migration
+273
+0.18% of population
| Origin county | Tax returns |
|---|---|
| Hancock County, ME | 276 |
| Waldo County, ME | 222 |
| Cumberland County, ME | 214 |
| Aroostook County, ME | 195 |
| Somerset County, ME | 191 |
| Kennebec County, ME | 154 |
Who lives in Bangor
- Median age
- 43
- Bachelor's+
- 30.5%
- Owner-occupancy
- 70.3%
- Vacancy rate
- 14.1%
- Rent burdened (30%+)
- 44.1%
- Median household income
- $63,248
This page shows federally sourced data. A full editorial analysis with charts and investment commentary is in progress.