The Town FilesLee, Maine
Town in Penobscot County · population 916 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $174,500
- Household income
- $49,886
- Jan low / Jul high
- 3° / 79°
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 2
- Median age
- 51.5
Lee is a town of 916 people in Penobscot County, Maine. The median home is worth $174,500, below the typical Maine town ($238,950). It ranks better for families than 78% of Maine towns, better for first-time buyers than 70% of Maine towns.
How Lee 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 Lee is worth $174,500, below the typical Maine town ($238,950). Homes cost about 3.5 times the median household income of $49,886, which is more affordable than 48% of Maine towns. 97.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Lee | Typical Maine town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $174,500 | $238,950 |
| Median rent | — | $1,027 |
| Median household income | $49,886 | $68,967 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.5× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 97.0% | 82.4% |
| Median year built | 1979 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 35.0% | — |
Who lives in Lee
| People | Lee | Typical Maine town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 51.5 | 46.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 24.5% | 22.9% |
| Under 18 | 21.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 14.1% | 28.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 19.5% | 10.7% |
| Veterans | 9.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.4% | — |
| Work from home | 11.9% | 12.3% |
| Average commute | 34.8 min | 25.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 74.5% | 90.0% |
Weather in Lee
July highs average 79.3°F and January lows 3.4°F. About 44.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year. Expect about 3 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 167 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lee since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical Maine town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on November 7, 1971 about 8.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on November 7, 1971.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 12 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on June 5, 2024.
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 Lee itself the ACS puts it at 1.6%.
Public schools in Lee
1 public school with 73 students, about 12.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mt Jefferson Jr High School | 5-8 | 73 | 12.2 |
Towns near Lee
- Lincoln, ME7.0 mi · 4,853 people · home $141,500
- Lincoln, ME9.9 mi · 2,667 people · home $142,100
- Chester, ME10.8 mi · 549 people · home $172,500
- Mattawamkeag, ME11.5 mi · 596 people · home $104,200
- Enfield, ME15.2 mi · 1,435 people · home $178,100
- Howland, ME19.0 mi · 947 people · home $152,100
- Medway, ME20.4 mi · 1,187 people · home $100,400
- Howland, ME21.6 mi · 1,094 people · home $150,100
Lee questions
Is Lee, Maine a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Lee scores better for retirees than 20% of Maine towns and quieter than 62%. 24.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 51.5).
How much does a house cost in Lee?
The median owner-occupied home in Lee is valued at $174,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $49,886, so homes cost about 3.5 times income. Median rent is — a month.
What is the weather like in Lee?
July highs average 79.3°F and January lows 3.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 44.3 inches of precipitation a year.
Does Lee get tornadoes?
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lee since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on November 7, 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)