The Town FilesPalmyra, Maine
Town in Somerset County · population 1,924 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $154,900
- Household income
- $60,543
- Jan low / Jul high
- 6° / 81°
- Snow a year
- 72 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 4
- Median age
- 37.1
Palmyra is a town of 1,924 people in Somerset County, Maine. The median home is worth $154,900, below the typical Maine town ($238,950). It ranks easier by car than 100% of Maine towns.
How Palmyra 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 Palmyra is worth $154,900, below the typical Maine town ($238,950). Homes cost about 2.6 times the median household income of $60,543, which is more affordable than 80% of Maine towns. Median rent is $733 a month. 82.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Palmyra | Typical Maine town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $154,900 | $238,950 |
| Median rent | $733 | $1,027 |
| Median household income | $60,543 | $68,967 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.6× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 82.6% | 82.4% |
| Median year built | 1994 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 9.4% | — |
Who lives in Palmyra
| People | Palmyra | Typical Maine town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.1 | 46.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 16.7% | 22.9% |
| Under 18 | 29.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 13.8% | 28.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 9.1% | 10.7% |
| Veterans | 11.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.4% | — |
| Work from home | 7.5% | 12.3% |
| Average commute | 21.1 min | 25.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 91.1% | 90.0% |
Weather in Palmyra
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 71.5 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
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Palmyra since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical Maine town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on July 15, 2014 about 5.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 15, 2014.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 6 times; the largest was 1.50 inches on July 30, 1987.
Severe weather in Somerset County since 1996
Somerset County has been included in 29 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| January 30, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4754: Severe Storm And Flooding |
| September 14, 2023 | Hurricane | EM-3598: Hurricane Lee |
| July 6, 2023 | Flood | DR-4719: Severe Storm And Flooding |
| March 22, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4696: Severe Storm And Flooding |
| April 4, 2020 | Biological | DR-4522: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in Somerset County
Somerset County had 16,034 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $55,148 a year. Unemployment was 4.2% in 2023; in Palmyra itself the ACS puts it at 1.5%.
Towns near Palmyra
- Pittsfield, ME5.5 mi · 2,822 people · home $162,100
- Newport, ME5.6 mi · 1,690 people · home $187,700
- Hartland, ME5.7 mi · 756 people · home $78,600
- Detroit, ME5.8 mi · 885 people · home $137,500
- St. Albans, ME5.9 mi · 2,045 people · home $194,000
- Pittsfield, ME6.0 mi · 3,908 people · home $164,100
- Corinna, ME7.4 mi · 729 people · home $138,000
- Newport, ME7.5 mi · 3,133 people · home $234,800
Palmyra questions
Is Palmyra, Maine a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Palmyra scores better for retirees than 0% of Maine towns and quieter than 26%. 16.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 37.1).
How much does a house cost in Palmyra?
The median owner-occupied home in Palmyra is valued at $154,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $60,543, so homes cost about 2.6 times income. Median rent is $733 a month.
What is the weather like in Palmyra?
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 71.5 inches of snow.
Does Palmyra get tornadoes?
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Palmyra since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF1 on July 15, 2014. 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)