The Town FilesFort Kent, Maine
Town in Aroostook County · population 4,067 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $160,700
- Household income
- $56,270
- Jan low / Jul high
- -3° / 76°
- Snow a year
- 99 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 2
- Median age
- 45.9
Fort Kent is a town of 4,067 people in Aroostook County, Maine. The median home is worth $160,700, below the typical Maine town ($238,950). It ranks more of a college town than 98% of Maine towns, better for first-time buyers than 94% of Maine towns, better for young professionals than 84% of Maine towns.
How Fort Kent 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 Fort Kent is worth $160,700, below the typical Maine town ($238,950). Homes cost about 2.9 times the median household income of $56,270, which is more affordable than 71% of Maine towns. Median rent is $926 a month. 78.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Fort Kent | Typical Maine town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $160,700 | $238,950 |
| Median rent | $926 | $1,027 |
| Median household income | $56,270 | $68,967 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.9× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 78.9% | 82.4% |
| Median year built | 1979 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 3.4% | — |
Who lives in Fort Kent
| People | Fort Kent | Typical Maine town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 45.9 | 46.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 20.7% | 22.9% |
| Under 18 | 14.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 35.2% | 28.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 11.2% | 10.7% |
| Veterans | 4.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 8.1% | — |
| Work from home | 8.7% | 12.3% |
| Average commute | 17.8 min | 25.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 79.7% | 90.0% |
Weather in Fort Kent
July highs average 75.8°F and January lows -3.2°F. About 41.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 99.3 inches of snow (typical Maine town: 77.2 in). Expect about 2 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 201 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Fort Kent since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical Maine town. The strongest, an F1, struck on October 12, 1971 about 5.4 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 28, 1997.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 3 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on August 4, 2007.
Severe weather in Aroostook County since 1996
Aroostook County has been included in 24 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, freezing, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| February 1, 2011 | Severe Storm | DR-1953: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| May 9, 2008 | Flood | DR-1755: Severe Storms And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Aroostook County
Aroostook County had 25,999 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $51,148 a year. Unemployment was 3.9% in 2023; in Fort Kent itself the ACS puts it at 2%.
Public schools in Fort Kent
3 public schools with 812 students, about 12.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Kent Elementary School | PK-6 | 465 | 13.3 |
| Fort Kent Community High School | 9-12 | 251 | 13.9 |
| Valley Rivers Middle School | 7-8 | 96 | 8.7 |
Towns near Fort Kent
- Madawaska, ME13.2 mi · 2,797 people · home $158,300
- Madawaska, ME15.3 mi · 3,867 people · home $156,300
Fort Kent questions
Is Fort Kent, Maine a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Fort Kent scores better for retirees than 79% of Maine towns and quieter than 10%. 20.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 45.9).
How much does a house cost in Fort Kent?
The median owner-occupied home in Fort Kent is valued at $160,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $56,270, so homes cost about 2.9 times income. Median rent is $926 a month.
What is the weather like in Fort Kent?
July highs average 75.8°F and January lows -3.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 41.6 inches of precipitation a year and 99.3 inches of snow.
Does Fort Kent get tornadoes?
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Fort Kent since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on October 12, 1971. 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)