The Town FilesCarthage, Maine
Town in Franklin County · population 509 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $144,300
- Household income
- $79,107
- Jan low / Jul high
- 7° / 79°
- Snow a year
- 88 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 4
- Median age
- 42.8
Carthage is a town of 509 people in Franklin County, Maine. The median home is worth $144,300, below the typical Maine town ($238,950). It ranks quieter than 97% of Maine towns, better for first-time buyers than 88% of Maine towns, easier by car than 80% of Maine towns.
How Carthage 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 Carthage is worth $144,300, below the typical Maine town ($238,950). Homes cost about 1.8 times the median household income of $79,107, which is more affordable than 98% of Maine towns. Median rent is $811 a month. 88.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Carthage | Typical Maine town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $144,300 | $238,950 |
| Median rent | $811 | $1,027 |
| Median household income | $79,107 | $68,967 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.8× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 88.1% | 82.4% |
| Median year built | 1992 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 17.6% | — |
Who lives in Carthage
| People | Carthage | Typical Maine town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.8 | 46.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 10.7% | 22.9% |
| Under 18 | 13.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 13.4% | 28.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 3.6% | 10.7% |
| Veterans | 3.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 10.0% | 12.3% |
| Average commute | 24.5 min | 25.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 81.6% | 90.0% |
Weather in Carthage
July highs average 79.4°F and January lows 6.8°F. About 48.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 87.9 inches of snow (typical Maine town: 77.2 in). Expect about 6 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 163 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Carthage since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical Maine town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on July 31, 1971 about 7.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 6, 1978.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 16 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on July 7, 1985.
Severe weather in Franklin County since 1996
Franklin County has been included in 33 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, freezing, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| January 30, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4754: Severe Storm And Flooding |
| September 14, 2023 | Hurricane | EM-3598: Hurricane Lee |
| September 5, 2023 | Flood | DR-4736: Severe Storm And Flooding |
| July 6, 2023 | Flood | DR-4719: Severe Storm And Flooding |
| March 22, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4696: Severe Storm And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Franklin County
Franklin County had 10,518 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $48,419 a year. Unemployment was 3.5% in 2023; in Carthage itself the ACS puts it at 1.3%.
Towns near Carthage
- Dixfield, ME4.6 mi · 1,323 people · home $171,500
- Dixfield, ME4.6 mi · 2,253 people · home $160,900
- Mexico, ME5.2 mi · 2,756 people · home $110,800
- Mexico, ME6.7 mi · 2,234 people · home $108,700
- Wilton, ME8.2 mi · 3,835 people · home $202,000
- Rumford, ME8.3 mi · 4,298 people · home $123,200
- Wilton, ME8.5 mi · 2,071 people · home $166,200
- Canton, ME9.5 mi · 1,125 people · home $165,000
Carthage questions
Is Carthage, Maine a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Carthage scores better for retirees than 47% of Maine towns and quieter than 97%. 10.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 42.8).
How much does a house cost in Carthage?
The median owner-occupied home in Carthage is valued at $144,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $79,107, so homes cost about 1.8 times income. Median rent is $811 a month.
What is the weather like in Carthage?
July highs average 79.4°F and January lows 6.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 48.9 inches of precipitation a year and 87.9 inches of snow.
Does Carthage get tornadoes?
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Carthage since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on July 31, 1971. 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)