The Town FilesWales, Maine
Town in Androscoggin County · population 1,608 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $250,400
- Household income
- $77,004
- Jan low / Jul high
- 12° / 80°
- Snow a year
- 65 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 35.1
Wales is a town of 1,608 people in Androscoggin County, Maine. The median home is worth $250,400, close to the typical Maine town ($238,950). It ranks more of a college town than 89% of Maine towns, better for first-time buyers than 70% of Maine towns.
How Wales 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 Wales is worth $250,400, close to the typical Maine town ($238,950). Homes cost about 3.3 times the median household income of $77,004, which is more affordable than 56% of Maine towns. Median rent is $1,154 a month. 91.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Wales | Typical Maine town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $250,400 | $238,950 |
| Median rent | $1,154 | $1,027 |
| Median household income | $77,004 | $68,967 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.3× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 91.4% | 82.4% |
| Median year built | 1989 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 7.0% | — |
Who lives in Wales
| People | Wales | Typical Maine town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.1 | 46.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 11.0% | 22.9% |
| Under 18 | 30.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 15.6% | 28.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 25.3% | 10.7% |
| Veterans | 10.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.0% | — |
| Work from home | 22.2% | 12.3% |
| Average commute | 28.0 min | 25.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 94.1% | 90.0% |
Weather in Wales
July highs average 79.9°F and January lows 11.6°F. About 45.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 65.1 inches of snow (typical Maine town: 77.2 in). Expect about 11 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 141 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Wales since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical Maine town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on July 8, 1996 about 5.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 8, 1996.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 28 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on March 17, 2016.
Severe weather in Androscoggin County since 1996
Androscoggin County has been included in 31 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 |
| April 4, 2020 | Biological | DR-4522: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3444: Covid-19 |
| March 12, 2015 | Snowstorm | DR-4208: Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Androscoggin County
Androscoggin County had 48,676 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $58,507 a year. Unemployment was 3% in 2023; in Wales itself the ACS puts it at 4.7%.
Public schools in Wales
1 public school with 403 students, about 11.9 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oak Hill High School | 9-12 | 403 | 11.9 |
Towns near Wales
- Sabattus, ME3.0 mi · 787 people · home $214,300
- Sabattus, ME4.0 mi · 5,044 people · home $180,000
- Greene, ME4.9 mi · 4,376 people · home $270,000
- Greene, ME4.9 mi · 750 people · home $261,800
- Monmouth, ME6.2 mi · 4,066 people · home $274,100
- Litchfield, ME6.5 mi · 3,586 people · home $243,900
- Lewiston, ME6.9 mi · 37,121 people · home $235,100
- Bowdoin, ME7.0 mi · 3,136 people · home $292,800
Wales questions
Is Wales, Maine a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Wales scores better for retirees than 3% of Maine towns and quieter than 30%. 11.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 35.1).
How much does a house cost in Wales?
The median owner-occupied home in Wales is valued at $250,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $77,004, so homes cost about 3.3 times income. Median rent is $1,154 a month.
What is the weather like in Wales?
July highs average 79.9°F and January lows 11.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 45.2 inches of precipitation a year and 65.1 inches of snow.
Does Wales get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Wales since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on July 8, 1996. 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)