The Town FilesPhillips, Maine
Town in Franklin County · population 898 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $190,800
- Household income
- $45,385
- Jan low / Jul high
- 6° / 79°
- Snow a year
- 100 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 0
- Median age
- 49.7
Phillips is a town of 898 people in Franklin County, Maine. The median home is worth $190,800, below the typical Maine town ($238,950). It ranks quieter than 97% of Maine towns, better for first-time buyers than 88% of Maine towns, easier by car than 80% of Maine towns.
How Phillips 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 Phillips is worth $190,800, below the typical Maine town ($238,950). Homes cost about 4.2 times the median household income of $45,385, which is more affordable than 25% of Maine towns. Median rent is $483 a month. 83.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Phillips | Typical Maine town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $190,800 | $238,950 |
| Median rent | $483 | $1,027 |
| Median household income | $45,385 | $68,967 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.2× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 83.3% | 82.4% |
| Median year built | 1974 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 26.9% | — |
Who lives in Phillips
| People | Phillips | Typical Maine town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 49.7 | 46.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 21.3% | 22.9% |
| Under 18 | 20.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.7% | 28.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 17.7% | 10.7% |
| Veterans | 14.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.1% | — |
| Work from home | 16.8% | 12.3% |
| Average commute | 22.7 min | 25.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 86.4% | 90.0% |
Weather in Phillips
July highs average 78.6°F and January lows 5.6°F. About 49.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 100.0 inches of snow (typical Maine town: 77.2 in). Expect about 3 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 183 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Phillips since 1950.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 1 times; the largest was 1.00 inches on August 3, 2015.
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 Phillips itself the ACS puts it at 7.6%.
Public schools in Phillips
1 public school with 125 students, about 15.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phillips Elementary Sch | PK-4 | 125 | 15.6 |
Towns near Phillips
- Strong, ME8.8 mi · 1,122 people · home $183,900
- Temple, ME11.2 mi · 527 people · home $210,200
- Kingfield, ME12.6 mi · 960 people · home $194,300
- Kingfield, ME12.7 mi · 640 people · home $174,800
- New Vineyard, ME13.7 mi · 721 people · home $190,000
- New Portland, ME15.2 mi · 765 people · home $176,000
- Wilton, ME15.9 mi · 3,835 people · home $202,000
- Farmington, ME16.0 mi · 7,592 people · home $166,600
Phillips questions
Is Phillips, Maine a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Phillips scores better for retirees than 47% of Maine towns and quieter than 97%. 21.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 49.7).
How much does a house cost in Phillips?
The median owner-occupied home in Phillips is valued at $190,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $45,385, so homes cost about 4.2 times income. Median rent is $483 a month.
What is the weather like in Phillips?
July highs average 78.6°F and January lows 5.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 49.5 inches of precipitation a year and 100.0 inches of snow.
Does Phillips get tornadoes?
No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Phillips in NOAA's Storm Events Database since 1950.
- 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)