The Town FilesEtna, Maine
Town in Penobscot County · population 1,226 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $183,000
- Household income
- $72,379
- Jan low / Jul high
- 6° / 81°
- Snow a year
- 75 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 2
- Median age
- 41.9
Etna is a town of 1,226 people in Penobscot County, Maine. The median home is worth $183,000, below the typical Maine town ($238,950). It ranks easier by car than 91% of Maine towns, quieter than 78% of Maine towns, better for families than 75% of Maine towns.
How Etna 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 Etna is worth $183,000, below the typical Maine town ($238,950). Homes cost about 2.5 times the median household income of $72,379, which is more affordable than 84% of Maine towns. 94.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Etna | Typical Maine town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $183,000 | $238,950 |
| Median rent | — | $1,027 |
| Median household income | $72,379 | $68,967 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.5× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 94.9% | 82.4% |
| Median year built | 1993 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 9.7% | — |
Who lives in Etna
| People | Etna | Typical Maine town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.9 | 46.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 18.5% | 22.9% |
| Under 18 | 20.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 13.9% | 28.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 15.5% | 10.7% |
| Veterans | 8.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.5% | — |
| Work from home | 5.6% | 12.3% |
| Average commute | 27.5 min | 25.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 83.4% | 90.0% |
Weather in Etna
July highs average 80.5°F and January lows 6.0°F. About 44.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 75.1 inches of snow (typical Maine town: 77.2 in). Expect about 5 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 175 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Etna since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical Maine town. The strongest, an F1, struck on October 3, 1970 about 9.5 miles from the town center. The most recent was on October 3, 1970.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 7 times; the largest was 1.50 inches on August 2, 2011.
Severe weather in Penobscot County since 1996
Penobscot County has been included in 22 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 |
| April 4, 2020 | Biological | DR-4522: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3444: Covid-19 |
| January 2, 2018 | Severe Storm | DR-4354: Severe Storm And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Penobscot County
Penobscot County had 71,983 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $55,593 a year. Unemployment was 3.1% in 2023; in Etna itself the ACS puts it at 5.7%.
Public schools in Etna
1 public school with 180 students, about 10.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Etna-Dixmont School | PK-4 | 180 | 10.6 |
Towns near Etna
- Dixmont, ME4.6 mi · 1,211 people · home $190,700
- Plymouth, ME5.5 mi · 1,325 people · home $207,100
- Carmel, ME6.6 mi · 2,867 people · home $256,800
- Newburgh, ME7.0 mi · 1,595 people · home $244,600
- Stetson, ME7.5 mi · 1,186 people · home $205,700
- Newport, ME8.0 mi · 1,690 people · home $187,700
- Newport, ME8.4 mi · 3,133 people · home $234,800
- Detroit, ME8.5 mi · 885 people · home $137,500
Etna questions
Is Etna, Maine a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Etna scores better for retirees than 9% of Maine towns and quieter than 78%. 18.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 41.9).
How much does a house cost in Etna?
The median owner-occupied home in Etna is valued at $183,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $72,379, so homes cost about 2.5 times income. Median rent is — a month.
What is the weather like in Etna?
July highs average 80.5°F and January lows 6.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 44.7 inches of precipitation a year and 75.1 inches of snow.
Does Etna get tornadoes?
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Etna since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on October 3, 1970. 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)