The Town FilesCamden, Maine
Community in Knox County · population 3,850 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $498,800
- Household income
- $78,788
- Jan low / Jul high
- 12° / 77°
- Snow a year
- 69 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 0
- Median age
- 52.4
Camden is a community of 3,850 people in Knox County, Maine. The median home is worth $498,800, above the typical Maine town ($238,950). It ranks better for retirees than 100% of Maine towns, better for a vacation home than 99% of Maine towns, hipper than 97% of Maine towns.
- #2 in The 50 Best Small Towns to Retire in America With the Fewest Tornadoes
- #2 in The 50 Best Places to Retire in America With the Fewest Tornadoes
- #2 in The 25 Best Small Towns to Retire in Maine
- #16 in The 50 Best Vacation-Home Small Towns in America
- #17 in The 50 Best Small Towns to Retire in America
- #17 in The 50 Best Places to Retire in America
How Camden 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 Camden is worth $498,800, above the typical Maine town ($238,950). Homes cost about 6.3 times the median household income of $78,788, which is more affordable than 4% of Maine towns. Median rent is $1,149 a month. 69.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Camden | Typical Maine town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $498,800 | $238,950 |
| Median rent | $1,149 | $1,027 |
| Median household income | $78,788 | $68,967 |
| Home value ÷ income | 6.3× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 69.5% | 82.4% |
| Median year built | 1959 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 23.0% | — |
Who lives in Camden
| People | Camden | Typical Maine town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 52.4 | 46.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 38.6% | 22.9% |
| Under 18 | 20.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 58.0% | 28.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 9.6% | 10.7% |
| Veterans | 6.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 9.5% | — |
| Work from home | 23.7% | 12.3% |
| Average commute | 23.8 min | 25.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 93.0% | 90.0% |
Weather in Camden
July highs average 76.7°F and January lows 12.0°F. About 56.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 68.7 inches of snow (typical Maine town: 77.2 in). Expect about 2 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 148 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Camden since 1950.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 4 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on August 18, 1996.
Severe weather in Knox County since 1996
Knox County has been included in 31 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 |
| March 22, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4696: Severe Storm And Flooding |
| March 15, 2022 | Coastal Storm | DR-4647: Severe Storm And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Knox County
Knox County had 16,874 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $55,720 a year. Unemployment was 2.9% in 2023; in Camden itself the ACS puts it at 5.7%.
Towns near Camden
- Camden, ME0.6 mi · 5,232 people · home $520,600
- Rockport, ME3.3 mi · 3,644 people · home $469,000
- Rockland, ME6.9 mi · 6,936 people · home $245,800
- Thomaston, ME8.9 mi · 2,739 people · home $271,700
- Warren, ME10.5 mi · 4,865 people · home $232,700
- Belfast, ME14.8 mi · 6,938 people · home $340,900
- Waldoboro, ME16.8 mi · 5,154 people · home $274,900
- Searsport, ME19.1 mi · 2,649 people · home $224,400
Camden questions
Is Camden, Maine a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Camden scores better for retirees than 100% of Maine towns and quieter than 19%. 38.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 52.4).
How much does a house cost in Camden?
The median owner-occupied home in Camden is valued at $498,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $78,788, so homes cost about 6.3 times income. Median rent is $1,149 a month.
What is the weather like in Camden?
July highs average 76.7°F and January lows 12.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 56.2 inches of precipitation a year and 68.7 inches of snow.
Does Camden get tornadoes?
No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Camden 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)