The Town FilesOtis, Maine
Town in Hancock County · population 673 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $282,500
- Household income
- $101,250
- Jan low / Jul high
- 11° / 77°
- Snow a year
- 75 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 54.7
Otis is a town of 673 people in Hancock County, Maine. The median home is worth $282,500, above the typical Maine town ($238,950). It ranks better for families than 98% of Maine towns, more upscale than 93% of Maine towns, better for a vacation home than 92% of Maine towns.
How Otis 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 Otis is worth $282,500, above the typical Maine town ($238,950). Homes cost about 2.8 times the median household income of $101,250, which is more affordable than 74% of Maine towns. Median rent is $1,563 a month. 89.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Otis | Typical Maine town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $282,500 | $238,950 |
| Median rent | $1,563 | $1,027 |
| Median household income | $101,250 | $68,967 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.8× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 89.5% | 82.4% |
| Median year built | 1990 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 57.0% | — |
Who lives in Otis
| People | Otis | Typical Maine town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 54.7 | 46.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 20.9% | 22.9% |
| Under 18 | 16.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 34.8% | 28.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.8% | 10.7% |
| Veterans | 7.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.6% | — |
| Work from home | 5.1% | 12.3% |
| Average commute | 41.6 min | 25.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 98.0% | 90.0% |
Weather in Otis
July highs average 77.4°F and January lows 10.6°F. About 49.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 74.6 inches of snow (typical Maine town: 77.2 in). Expect about 1 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 162 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Otis since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical Maine town. The strongest, an F1, struck on August 17, 1959 about 8.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 17, 1959.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 1 times; the largest was 1.00 inches on July 18, 2006.
Severe weather in Hancock County since 1996
Hancock County has been included in 24 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 Hancock County
Hancock County had 23,631 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $53,780 a year. Unemployment was 3.2% in 2023; in Otis itself the ACS puts it at 0.5%.
Public schools in Otis
1 public school with 77 students, about 9.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beech Hill School | PK-8 | 77 | 9.6 |
Towns near Otis
- Dedham, ME3.6 mi · 1,648 people · home $356,400
- Clifton, ME5.1 mi · 840 people · home $202,500
- Eddington, ME8.3 mi · 2,194 people · home $268,000
- Holden, ME9.5 mi · 3,277 people · home $289,400
- Ellsworth, ME9.6 mi · 8,399 people · home $242,300
- Bradley, ME12.3 mi · 1,532 people · home $201,800
- Brewer, ME12.8 mi · 9,672 people · home $245,300
- Orland, ME13.4 mi · 2,221 people · home $277,100
Otis questions
Is Otis, Maine a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Otis scores better for retirees than 77% of Maine towns and quieter than 86%. 20.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 54.7).
How much does a house cost in Otis?
The median owner-occupied home in Otis is valued at $282,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $101,250, so homes cost about 2.8 times income. Median rent is $1,563 a month.
What is the weather like in Otis?
July highs average 77.4°F and January lows 10.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 49.4 inches of precipitation a year and 74.6 inches of snow.
Does Otis get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Otis since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on August 17, 1959. 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)