The Town Files

Swanville, Maine

Town in Waldo County · population 1,377 (2020 Census)

Map: where Swanville is in MaineSwanville
Median home
$237,300
Household income
$51,935
Jan low / Jul high
10° / 77°
Snow a year
72 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
0
Median age
53.2

Swanville is a town of 1,377 people in Waldo County, Maine. The median home is worth $237,300, close to the typical Maine town ($238,950). It ranks better transit than 98% of Maine towns, better for first-time buyers than 91% of Maine towns, better for cycling than 80% of Maine towns.

How Swanville 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.

Swanville lifestyle rankings vs other Maine townsRetirement59th pctFamilies45th pctQuiet68th pctWalkability24th pctFirst-time buyers91st pctYoung professionals52nd pctVibrancy32nd pctHip & trendy46th pctCollege town58th pctUpscale47th pctVacation homes63rd pctSeaside characterbottomCycling80th pctTransit98th pctDriving48th pcttypical
The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025).

Homes and cost of living

The median home in Swanville is worth $237,300, close to the typical Maine town ($238,950). Homes cost about 4.6 times the median household income of $51,935, which is more affordable than 18% of Maine towns. Median rent is $1,191 a month. 91.3% of households own their home.

Swanville vs Waldo County vs typical Maine townSwanvilleWaldo CountyTypical Maine townHome value$237,300$257,700$238,950Household income$51,935$72,782$68,967Monthly rent$1,191$1,021$1,027
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of Maine towns with 500+ people.
HousingSwanvilleTypical Maine town
Median home value$237,300$238,950
Median rent$1,191$1,027
Median household income$51,935$68,967
Home value ÷ income4.6×3.4×
Homeownership91.3%82.4%
Median year built19891978
Seasonal / vacation homes15.2%—

Who lives in Swanville

PeopleSwanvilleTypical Maine town
Median age53.246.9
Age 65 and over20.3%22.9%
Under 1815.2%—
Bachelor's degree or higher23.5%28.2%
Below the poverty line23.0%10.7%
Veterans7.2%—
Born outside the U.S.0.3%—
Work from home10.7%12.3%
Average commute25.6 min25.5 min
Homes with broadband82.0%90.0%

Weather in Swanville

July highs average 77.0°F and January lows 10.2°F. About 48.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 71.5 inches of snow (typical Maine town: 77.2 in). Expect about 2 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 162 nights at or below freezing.

Swanville monthly temperatures and precipitation10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°32° freezing30°10°Jan32°12°Feb40°20°Mar52°31°Apr63°41°May72°51°Jun77°57°Jul76°56°Aug70°48°Sep57°38°Oct46°29°Nov35°18°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue3.919.23.222.44.111.74.42.23.94.33.23.14.15.40.34.72.54.713.2
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Belfast station (8.5 mi away).

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Swanville since 1950.

Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 2 times; the largest was 1.00 inches on July 16, 2021.

Severe weather in Waldo County since 1996

Storm events in Waldo County since 1996 by typeHail15Flood52Drought45High Wind45Heavy Snow201Strong Wind67Winter Storm59Coastal Flood15
NOAA Storm Events Database, Waldo County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996). 1 deaths recorded.

Waldo County has been included in 28 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
March 20, 2024Severe StormDR-4764: Severe Storms And Flooding
January 30, 2024Severe StormDR-4754: Severe Storm And Flooding
September 14, 2023HurricaneEM-3598: Hurricane Lee
July 6, 2023FloodDR-4719: Severe Storm And Flooding
March 22, 2023Severe StormDR-4696: Severe Storm And Flooding

Jobs and pay in Waldo County

Waldo County had 11,273 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $54,674 a year. Unemployment was 3% in 2023; in Swanville itself the ACS puts it at 1.4%.

Largest industries in Waldo CountyRetail1,681 jobs · $37,692Health care & social assistan…1,622 jobs · $61,809Manufacturing1,081 jobs · $56,492Company management921 jobs · $82,927Hotels & restaurants836 jobs · $28,315Finance & insurance556 jobs · $87,145
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Waldo County, 2000–20230%2%4%6%8%10%2000200420082012201620202023Waldo 3%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Public schools in Swanville

1 public school with 57 students, about 11.4 students per teacher.

SchoolGradesStudentsPer teacher
Kermit S Nickerson School3-55711.4

Towns near Swanville

Swanville questions

Is Swanville, Maine a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Swanville scores better for retirees than 59% of Maine towns and quieter than 68%. 20.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 53.2).

How much does a house cost in Swanville?

The median owner-occupied home in Swanville is valued at $237,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $51,935, so homes cost about 4.6 times income. Median rent is $1,191 a month.

What is the weather like in Swanville?

July highs average 77.0°F and January lows 10.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 48.8 inches of precipitation a year and 71.5 inches of snow.

Does Swanville get tornadoes?

No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Swanville in NOAA's Storm Events Database since 1950.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Swanville's Census boundary (GEOID 2302775525). Comparisons use the median of Maine towns with at least 500 people. Weather comes from the nearest NOAA normals station; storm counts use NOAA tornado tracks within 10 miles of the town center. Data snapshot 2026-11-13.