The Town FilesDamariscotta, Maine
Town in Lincoln County · population 2,297 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $363,500
- Household income
- $59,423
- Jan low / Jul high
- 15° / 78°
- Snow a year
- 79 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 49.3
Damariscotta is a town of 2,297 people in Lincoln County, Maine. The median home is worth $363,500, above the typical Maine town ($238,950). It ranks better for retirees than 90% of Maine towns, hipper than 90% of Maine towns, better for a vacation home than 84% of Maine towns.
How Damariscotta 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 Damariscotta is worth $363,500, above the typical Maine town ($238,950). Homes cost about 6.1 times the median household income of $59,423, which is more affordable than 5% of Maine towns. Median rent is $1,027 a month. 70.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Damariscotta | Typical Maine town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $363,500 | $238,950 |
| Median rent | $1,027 | $1,027 |
| Median household income | $59,423 | $68,967 |
| Home value ÷ income | 6.1× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 70.0% | 82.4% |
| Median year built | 1981 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 17.3% | — |
Who lives in Damariscotta
| People | Damariscotta | Typical Maine town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 49.3 | 46.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 31.2% | 22.9% |
| Under 18 | 19.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 41.9% | 28.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 11.9% | 10.7% |
| Veterans | 11.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.7% | — |
| Work from home | 13.2% | 12.3% |
| Average commute | 23.2 min | 25.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 93.7% | 90.0% |
Weather in Damariscotta
July highs average 78.3°F and January lows 14.7°F. About 49.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 78.7 inches of snow (typical Maine town: 77.2 in). Expect about 2 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 142 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Damariscotta since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical Maine town. The strongest, unrated, struck on August 8, 1958 about 7.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 8, 1958.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 5 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 Damariscotta itself the ACS puts it at 8.3%.
Public schools in Damariscotta
1 public school with 387 students, about 11.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Great Salt Bay Community School | K-8 | 387 | 11.1 |
Towns near Damariscotta
- Damariscotta, ME1.5 mi · 1,193 people · home $419,100
- Newcastle, ME2.8 mi · 660 people · home $420,500
- Bremen, ME4.2 mi · 823 people · home $425,300
- Newcastle, ME4.3 mi · 1,848 people · home $398,000
- Nobleboro, ME5.5 mi · 1,791 people · home $352,600
- Edgecomb, ME6.8 mi · 1,188 people · home $348,400
- Waldoboro, ME7.4 mi · 1,300 people · home $291,600
- Friendship, ME8.6 mi · 1,142 people · home $275,000
Damariscotta questions
Is Damariscotta, Maine a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Damariscotta scores better for retirees than 90% of Maine towns and quieter than 29%. 31.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 49.3).
How much does a house cost in Damariscotta?
The median owner-occupied home in Damariscotta is valued at $363,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $59,423, so homes cost about 6.1 times income. Median rent is $1,027 a month.
What is the weather like in Damariscotta?
July highs average 78.3°F and January lows 14.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 49.2 inches of precipitation a year and 78.7 inches of snow.
Does Damariscotta get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Damariscotta since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events). 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)