The Town FilesBowdoin, Maine
Town in Sagadahoc County · population 3,136 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $292,800
- Household income
- $91,239
- Jan low / Jul high
- 8° / 79°
- Snow a year
- 78 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 2
- Median age
- 44.3
Bowdoin is a town of 3,136 people in Sagadahoc County, Maine. The median home is worth $292,800, above the typical Maine town ($238,950). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 99% of Maine towns, better for families than 96% of Maine towns, more upscale than 84% of Maine towns.
- #2 in The 25 Best Small Towns for First-Time Home Buyers in Maine
- #4 in The 10 Best Small Towns for Young Families in Maine
- #5 in The 50 Best Small Towns for Young Families in America
- #5 in The 50 Best Places for Young Families in America
- #10 in The 25 Best Small Towns for Families in Maine
- #17 in The 25 Quietest Small Towns in Maine
How Bowdoin 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 Bowdoin is worth $292,800, above the typical Maine town ($238,950). Homes cost about 3.2 times the median household income of $91,239, which is more affordable than 60% of Maine towns. 84.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Bowdoin | Typical Maine town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $292,800 | $238,950 |
| Median rent | — | $1,027 |
| Median household income | $91,239 | $68,967 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.2× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 84.7% | 82.4% |
| Median year built | 1992 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Bowdoin
| People | Bowdoin | Typical Maine town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 44.3 | 46.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 14.1% | 22.9% |
| Under 18 | 19.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 30.4% | 28.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 11.0% | 10.7% |
| Veterans | 12.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.5% | — |
| Work from home | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| Average commute | 31.8 min | 25.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 92.2% | 90.0% |
Weather in Bowdoin
July highs average 79.0°F and January lows 7.5°F. About 49.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 77.5 inches of snow (typical Maine town: 77.2 in). Expect about 5 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 176 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bowdoin 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 7.4 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 18 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on June 7, 1990.
Severe weather in Sagadahoc County since 1996
Sagadahoc County has been included in 25 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| March 20, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4764: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| September 14, 2023 | Hurricane | EM-3598: Hurricane Lee |
| July 6, 2023 | Flood | DR-4719: Severe Storm And Flooding |
| April 4, 2020 | Biological | DR-4522: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3444: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Sagadahoc County
Sagadahoc County had 17,149 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $63,193 a year. Unemployment was 2.3% in 2023; in Bowdoin itself the ACS puts it at 0.9%.
Public schools in Bowdoin
1 public school with 197 students, about 11.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowdoin Central School | PK-5 | 197 | 11.6 |
Towns near Bowdoin
- Sabattus, ME5.2 mi · 5,044 people · home $180,000
- Bowdoinham, ME5.7 mi · 3,047 people · home $405,500
- Lisbon Falls, ME6.2 mi · 4,182 people · home $245,700
- Lisbon, ME6.5 mi · 9,711 people · home $258,300
- Litchfield, ME7.1 mi · 3,586 people · home $243,900
- Lisbon, ME7.4 mi · 3,217 people · home $237,200
- Topsham, ME7.5 mi · 9,560 people · home $360,800
- Richmond, ME7.6 mi · 3,522 people · home $242,700
Bowdoin questions
Is Bowdoin, Maine a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Bowdoin scores better for retirees than 42% of Maine towns and quieter than 79%. 14.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 44.3).
How much does a house cost in Bowdoin?
The median owner-occupied home in Bowdoin is valued at $292,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $91,239, so homes cost about 3.2 times income. Median rent is — a month.
What is the weather like in Bowdoin?
July highs average 79.0°F and January lows 7.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 49.7 inches of precipitation a year and 77.5 inches of snow.
Does Bowdoin get tornadoes?
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bowdoin 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)