The Town FilesSkowhegan, Maine
Town in Somerset County · population 8,620 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $164,400
- Household income
- $49,485
- Jan low / Jul high
- 6° / 79°
- Snow a year
- 79 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 3
- Median age
- 42.6
Skowhegan is a town of 8,620 people in Somerset County, Maine. The median home is worth $164,400, below the typical Maine town ($238,950). It ranks more vibrant than 82% of Maine towns, more walkable than 80% of Maine towns, better transit than 80% of Maine towns.
How Skowhegan 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 Skowhegan is worth $164,400, below the typical Maine town ($238,950). Homes cost about 3.3 times the median household income of $49,485, which is more affordable than 56% of Maine towns. Median rent is $875 a month. 65.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Skowhegan | Typical Maine town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $164,400 | $238,950 |
| Median rent | $875 | $1,027 |
| Median household income | $49,485 | $68,967 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.3× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 65.9% | 82.4% |
| Median year built | 1972 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 2.7% | — |
Who lives in Skowhegan
| People | Skowhegan | Typical Maine town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.6 | 46.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 25.4% | 22.9% |
| Under 18 | 19.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.4% | 28.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 14.2% | 10.7% |
| Veterans | 10.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.5% | — |
| Work from home | 7.9% | 12.3% |
| Average commute | 24.5 min | 25.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 85.8% | 90.0% |
Weather in Skowhegan
July highs average 78.9°F and January lows 5.5°F. About 41.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 78.5 inches of snow (typical Maine town: 77.2 in). Expect about 3 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 172 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Skowhegan since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical Maine town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on August 9, 2000 about 4.5 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 9, 2000.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 11 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on August 24, 1974.
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 Skowhegan itself the ACS puts it at 3.7%.
Public schools in Skowhegan
8 public schools with 1,965 students, about 10.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Skowhegan Area High School | 9-12 | 702 | 13.8 |
| Skowhegan Area Middle School | 6-8 | 473 | 12.1 |
| Bloomfield Elementary School | 1-3 | 274 | 8.8 |
| Margaret Chase Smith Sch - Skowhegan | 4-5 | 173 | 11.5 |
| Overman Academy (charter) | 6-12 | 169 | 15.4 |
| North Elementary School | PK-K | 130 | 9.3 |
| Creative Childrens Academy (charter) | PK-K | 44 | 14.7 |
| Somerset Career & Technical Center | Other | — | — |
Towns near Skowhegan
- Skowhegan, ME1.8 mi · 6,404 people · home $156,400
- Madison, ME7.2 mi · 4,726 people · home $187,600
- Norridgewock, ME7.4 mi · 3,278 people · home $151,900
- Fairfield, ME8.1 mi · 6,484 people · home $164,300
- Madison, ME8.9 mi · 2,533 people · home $163,900
- Clinton, ME9.8 mi · 3,370 people · home $187,000
- Pittsfield, ME12.0 mi · 3,908 people · home $164,100
- Fairfield, ME12.8 mi · 2,616 people · home $139,600
Skowhegan questions
Is Skowhegan, Maine a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Skowhegan scores better for retirees than 18% of Maine towns and quieter than 24%. 25.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 42.6).
How much does a house cost in Skowhegan?
The median owner-occupied home in Skowhegan is valued at $164,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $49,485, so homes cost about 3.3 times income. Median rent is $875 a month.
What is the weather like in Skowhegan?
July highs average 78.9°F and January lows 5.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 41.7 inches of precipitation a year and 78.5 inches of snow.
Does Skowhegan get tornadoes?
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Skowhegan since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on August 9, 2000. 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)