Lewiston-Auburn, 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
3.45×
The single most-cited 'is this market still cheap' check. Below 3× and you're in an affordability tailwind.
- vs Maine
- 3.45×=
- vs U.S.
- 3.43×
Benchmark
ACS median home value ÷ median HHI
moderate
Rent to income
28.3%
What share of a typical household's income goes to rent. Below 30% means tenants can absorb modest rent increases.
- vs Maine
- 29.8%-1.5
- vs U.S.
- 23.3%
Benchmark
(HUD FMR 2BR × 12) ÷ median HHI
deal-by-deal
Cap rate proxy
5.33%
Rough first-pass yield assuming a 35% expense ratio. Not an underwriting number — a 'is this even worth modeling' filter.
- vs Maine
- 5.33%=
- vs U.S.
- 4.35%+0.99
Benchmark
(FMR 2BR × 12 × 0.65) ÷ ACS median home value
steady
Net migration
+0.32%
Forward-looking demand signal. Positive net migration drives rent growth and absorbs new supply.
- vs Maine
- 0.18%+0.14
- vs U.S.
- 0.03%+0.29
Benchmark
IRS net migration ÷ population
normal
Permit pipeline
3.94
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
- 3.94=
- vs U.S.
- 3.53+0.40
Benchmark
Census BPS permits TTM ÷ population × 1,000
healthy
Unemployment
3.8%
Tighter unemployment means higher wages, more rental demand, lower vacancy.
- vs Maine
- 3.8%=
- vs U.S.
- 4.5%-0.7
Benchmark
BLS LAUS, latest month
balanced buyer mix
Investor loan share
9.0%
1,345 purchase loans · 19.9% denial rate · 2024
Share of financed home purchases going to investors. Above ~15% means landlords are outbidding owner-occupants; below ~8% is owner-dominated.
Benchmark
Investor purchase loans ÷ all purchase loans (CFPB HMDA LAR, annual)
Where prices are and where they've been
5-year price appreciation
+73.9%
homeValues.yearOverYear
+8.8%
Median home value
$232,000
The rent ladder
| Bedroom | Monthly | Annual | % of median HHI |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 BR | $1,218 | $14,616 | 21.7% |
| 2 BR | $1,586 | $19,032 | 28.3% |
| 3 BR | $2,050 | $24,600 | 36.6% |
Labor market direction
Unemployment
3.8%
Median household income
$67,298
What's being built
Total TTM
442
+50.9% YoY
Single-family
241
2–4 unit
20
5+ unit
181
All 1 counties, ranked by population
| County | Population | Home value | Median HHI | Permits TTM | YoY |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Androscoggin County | 111,532 | $232,000 | $67,298 | 442 | +50.9% |
Similar metros nationally
| Metro | Pop | Med HHI | P/I | Cap proxy | HPI 5y | Permits/1k | Unemp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ★Lewiston | 111,532 | $67,298 | 3.45× | 5.33% | +73.9% | 3.94 | 3.8% |
| Twin Falls, ID | 115,066 | $66,473 | — | — | +58.1% | — | 3.3% |
| Kankakee, IL | 107,421 | $68,325 | — | — | +49.7% | — | 6.7% |
| Brunswick, GA | 113,854 | $64,819 | — | — | +72.5% | — | 2.8% |
| Michigan City-La Porte, IN | 112,215 | $70,452 | — | — | +59.7% | — | 3.1% |
| Williamsport, PA | 114,022 | $64,412 | — | — | +42.4% | — | 4.1% |
Where people are moving in from
Net migration
+359
+0.32% of population
| Origin county | Tax returns |
|---|---|
| Cumberland County, ME | 912 |
| Kennebec County, ME | 282 |
| Oxford County, ME | 229 |
| York County, ME | 204 |
| Sagadahoc County, ME | 145 |
| Franklin County, ME | 97 |
Who lives in Lewiston
- Median age
- 41
- Bachelor's+
- 23.4%
- Owner-occupancy
- 67.4%
- Vacancy rate
- 7.1%
- Rent burdened (30%+)
- 43.8%
- Median household income
- $67,298
This page shows federally sourced data. A full editorial analysis with charts and investment commentary is in progress.
Data sources
| Metric | Source | Vintage |
|---|---|---|
| rent vs buy | HUD FMR + Census ACS + FRED MORTGAGE30US | current FY |