The Town FilesNew Sharon, Maine
Town in Franklin County · population 1,458 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $171,200
- Household income
- $63,889
- Jan low / Jul high
- 7° / 79°
- Snow a year
- 86 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 3
- Median age
- 43.9
New Sharon is a town of 1,458 people in Franklin County, Maine. The median home is worth $171,200, below the typical Maine town ($238,950). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 96% of Maine towns, better for families than 85% of Maine towns, better for a vacation home than 70% of Maine towns.
How New Sharon 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 New Sharon is worth $171,200, below the typical Maine town ($238,950). Homes cost about 2.7 times the median household income of $63,889, which is more affordable than 77% of Maine towns. Median rent is $961 a month. 90.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | New Sharon | Typical Maine town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $171,200 | $238,950 |
| Median rent | $961 | $1,027 |
| Median household income | $63,889 | $68,967 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.7× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 90.2% | 82.4% |
| Median year built | 1977 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 11.8% | — |
Who lives in New Sharon
| People | New Sharon | Typical Maine town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 43.9 | 46.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 23.8% | 22.9% |
| Under 18 | 20.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 29.9% | 28.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 9.6% | 10.7% |
| Veterans | 6.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.9% | — |
| Work from home | 8.7% | 12.3% |
| Average commute | 30.2 min | 25.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 92.7% | 90.0% |
Weather in New Sharon
July highs average 78.9°F and January lows 7.2°F. About 48.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 86.1 inches of snow (typical Maine town: 77.2 in). Expect about 3 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 176 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of New Sharon since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical Maine town. The strongest, an F1, struck on June 21, 1997 about 8.8 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 21, 1997.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 13 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on August 30, 2007.
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 New Sharon itself the ACS puts it at 0%.
Public schools in New Sharon
1 public school with 170 students, about 11.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cape Cod Hill Elem School | PK-5 | 170 | 11.3 |
Towns near New Sharon
- Mercer, ME4.6 mi · 709 people · home $238,500
- Starks, ME6.4 mi · 593 people · home $148,500
- Vienna, ME6.6 mi · 578 people · home $276,400
- Farmington, ME7.2 mi · 4,168 people · home $169,900
- Farmington, ME7.2 mi · 7,592 people · home $166,600
- Industry, ME7.4 mi · 788 people · home $205,600
- Rome, ME7.6 mi · 1,148 people · home $329,300
- Chesterville, ME9.4 mi · 1,328 people · home $214,000
New Sharon questions
Is New Sharon, Maine a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, New Sharon scores better for retirees than 32% of Maine towns and quieter than 46%. 23.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 43.9).
How much does a house cost in New Sharon?
The median owner-occupied home in New Sharon is valued at $171,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $63,889, so homes cost about 2.7 times income. Median rent is $961 a month.
What is the weather like in New Sharon?
July highs average 78.9°F and January lows 7.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 48.9 inches of precipitation a year and 86.1 inches of snow.
Does New Sharon get tornadoes?
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of New Sharon since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on June 21, 1997. 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)