The Town FilesBoothbay Harbor, Maine
Town in Lincoln County · population 2,027 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $400,600
- Household income
- $62,800
- Jan low / Jul high
- 14° / 76°
- Snow a year
- 71 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 63.8
Boothbay Harbor is a town of 2,027 people in Lincoln County, Maine. The median home is worth $400,600, above the typical Maine town ($238,950). It ranks more seaside character than 98% of Maine towns, better for retirees than 97% of Maine towns, hipper than 94% of Maine towns.
How Boothbay Harbor ranks
Percentile among Maine towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Maine towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Boothbay Harbor is worth $400,600, above the typical Maine town ($238,950). Homes cost about 6.4 times the median household income of $62,800, which is more affordable than 3% of Maine towns. Median rent is $1,058 a month. 75.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Boothbay Harbor | Typical Maine town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $400,600 | $238,950 |
| Median rent | $1,058 | $1,027 |
| Median household income | $62,800 | $68,967 |
| Home value ÷ income | 6.4× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 75.5% | 82.4% |
| Median year built | 1956 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 44.5% | — |
Who lives in Boothbay Harbor
| People | Boothbay Harbor | Typical Maine town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 63.8 | 46.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 47.0% | 22.9% |
| Under 18 | 11.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 42.4% | 28.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 16.1% | 10.7% |
| Veterans | 13.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 4.2% | — |
| Work from home | 17.1% | 12.3% |
| Average commute | 14.2 min | 25.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 91.5% | 90.0% |
Weather in Boothbay Harbor
July highs average 76.3°F and January lows 14.3°F. About 51.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 70.6 inches of snow (typical Maine town: 77.2 in). Expect about 1 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 148 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Boothbay Harbor since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical Maine town. The strongest, an F1, struck on November 24, 2005 about 9.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on November 24, 2005.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 7 times; the largest was 1.50 inches on June 20, 2001.
Severe weather in Lincoln County since 1996
Lincoln County has been included in 30 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, freezing, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| March 20, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4764: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| September 14, 2023 | Hurricane | EM-3598: Hurricane Lee |
| July 6, 2023 | Flood | DR-4719: Severe Storm And Flooding |
| April 4, 2020 | Biological | DR-4522: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3444: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Lincoln County
Lincoln County had 11,252 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $53,238 a year. Unemployment was 2.8% in 2023; in Boothbay Harbor itself the ACS puts it at 1.9%.
Public schools in Boothbay Harbor
2 public schools with 507 students, about 9.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boothbay Region Elem School | PK-8 | 336 | 9.6 |
| Boothbay Region High School | 9-12 | 171 | 9.0 |
Towns near Boothbay Harbor
- Boothbay Harbor, ME0.7 mi · 872 people · home $327,800
- Southport, ME3.0 mi · 622 people · home $495,800
- Boothbay, ME4.3 mi · 3,003 people · home $342,100
- Westport Island, ME4.7 mi · 719 people · home $351,700
- South Bristol, ME4.8 mi · 1,127 people · home $469,200
- Edgecomb, ME8.6 mi · 1,188 people · home $348,400
- Bristol, ME8.6 mi · 2,834 people · home $406,400
- Woolwich, ME9.9 mi · 3,068 people · home $254,500
Boothbay Harbor questions
Is Boothbay Harbor, Maine a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Boothbay Harbor scores better for retirees than 97% of Maine towns and quieter than 59%. 47.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 63.8).
How much does a house cost in Boothbay Harbor?
The median owner-occupied home in Boothbay Harbor is valued at $400,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $62,800, so homes cost about 6.4 times income. Median rent is $1,058 a month.
What is the weather like in Boothbay Harbor?
July highs average 76.3°F and January lows 14.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 51.7 inches of precipitation a year and 70.6 inches of snow.
Does Boothbay Harbor get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Boothbay Harbor since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on November 24, 2005. The typical Maine town has had 2.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)