The Town FilesMachias, Maine
Town in Washington County · population 2,060 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $141,300
- Household income
- $34,375
- Jan low / Jul high
- 9° / 76°
- Snow a year
- 75 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 2
- Median age
- 40.8
Machias is a town of 2,060 people in Washington County, Maine. The median home is worth $141,300, below the typical Maine town ($238,950). It ranks more of a college town than 91% of Maine towns, more seaside character than 90% of Maine towns, better for first-time buyers than 89% of Maine towns.
How Machias 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 Machias is worth $141,300, below the typical Maine town ($238,950). Homes cost about 4.1 times the median household income of $34,375, which is more affordable than 28% of Maine towns. Median rent is $692 a month. 49.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Machias | Typical Maine town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $141,300 | $238,950 |
| Median rent | $692 | $1,027 |
| Median household income | $34,375 | $68,967 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.1× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 49.7% | 82.4% |
| Median year built | 1971 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.7% | — |
Who lives in Machias
| People | Machias | Typical Maine town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.8 | 46.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 20.2% | 22.9% |
| Under 18 | 15.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 16.0% | 28.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 25.6% | 10.7% |
| Veterans | 7.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.6% | — |
| Work from home | 12.7% | 12.3% |
| Average commute | 16.4 min | 25.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 77.7% | 90.0% |
Weather in Machias
July highs average 76.4°F and January lows 9.4°F. About 50.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 74.9 inches of snow (typical Maine town: 77.2 in). Expect about 2 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 162 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Machias since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical Maine town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on September 15, 1961 about 1.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on September 15, 1961.
Severe weather in Washington County since 1996
Washington County has been included in 26 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 |
| 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 |
Jobs and pay in Washington County
Washington County had 10,211 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $50,219 a year. Unemployment was 4.1% in 2023; in Machias itself the ACS puts it at 17.4%.
Public schools in Machias
3 public schools with 509 students, about 9.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rose M Gaffney School | PK-8 | 342 | 12.2 |
| Machias Memorial High School | 9-12 | 167 | 9.8 |
| Coastal Wash Cty Inst of Tech | Other | — | — |
Towns near Machias
- Machias, ME1.7 mi · 1,457 people · home $136,300
- Marshfield, ME4.1 mi · 528 people · home $191,900
- Machiasport, ME5.6 mi · 962 people · home $177,100
- East Machias, ME5.7 mi · 1,326 people · home $210,800
- Jonesboro, ME7.7 mi · 579 people · home $151,400
- Jonesport, ME9.5 mi · 1,245 people · home $142,000
- Cutler, ME11.2 mi · 524 people · home $155,900
- Jonesport, ME13.7 mi · 608 people · home $176,600
Machias questions
Is Machias, Maine a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Machias scores better for retirees than 28% of Maine towns and quieter than 4%. 20.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 40.8).
How much does a house cost in Machias?
The median owner-occupied home in Machias is valued at $141,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $34,375, so homes cost about 4.1 times income. Median rent is $692 a month.
What is the weather like in Machias?
July highs average 76.4°F and January lows 9.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 50.8 inches of precipitation a year and 74.9 inches of snow.
Does Machias get tornadoes?
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Machias since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on September 15, 1961. 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)