The Town FilesHoulton, Maine
Town in Aroostook County · population 6,055 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $137,000
- Household income
- $61,058
- Jan low / Jul high
- 3° / 78°
- Snow a year
- 96 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 2
- Median age
- 45.4
Houlton is a town of 6,055 people in Aroostook County, Maine. The median home is worth $137,000, below the typical Maine town ($238,950). It ranks better for young professionals than 93% of Maine towns, more vibrant than 92% of Maine towns, more walkable than 85% of Maine towns.
How Houlton 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 Houlton is worth $137,000, below the typical Maine town ($238,950). Homes cost about 2.2 times the median household income of $61,058, which is more affordable than 92% of Maine towns. Median rent is $785 a month. 63.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Houlton | Typical Maine town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $137,000 | $238,950 |
| Median rent | $785 | $1,027 |
| Median household income | $61,058 | $68,967 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.2× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 63.8% | 82.4% |
| Median year built | 1957 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 2.3% | — |
Who lives in Houlton
| People | Houlton | Typical Maine town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 45.4 | 46.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 24.4% | 22.9% |
| Under 18 | 18.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 24.6% | 28.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 18.1% | 10.7% |
| Veterans | 7.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.9% | — |
| Work from home | 6.0% | 12.3% |
| Average commute | 10.4 min | 25.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 94.0% | 90.0% |
Weather in Houlton
July highs average 78.1°F and January lows 2.6°F. About 39.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 95.9 inches of snow (typical Maine town: 77.2 in). Expect about 3 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 190 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Houlton since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical Maine town. The strongest, an F1, struck on July 4, 2002 about 9.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 26, 2014.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 14 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on August 4, 2015.
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 Houlton itself the ACS puts it at 11.5%.
Public schools in Houlton
5 public schools with 1,258 students, about 13.0 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Houlton High School | 9-12 | 387 | 16.8 |
| Houlton Southside School | 3-5 | 293 | 13.3 |
| Houlton Junior High School | 6-8 | 290 | 16.1 |
| Houlton Elementary School | PK-2 | 288 | 13.7 |
| Region Two Sch of Applied Tech | Other | — | — |
Towns near Houlton
- Houlton, ME1.4 mi · 4,743 people · home $129,600
Houlton questions
Is Houlton, Maine a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Houlton scores better for retirees than 59% of Maine towns and quieter than 20%. 24.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 45.4).
How much does a house cost in Houlton?
The median owner-occupied home in Houlton is valued at $137,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $61,058, so homes cost about 2.2 times income. Median rent is $785 a month.
What is the weather like in Houlton?
July highs average 78.1°F and January lows 2.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 39.3 inches of precipitation a year and 95.9 inches of snow.
Does Houlton get tornadoes?
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Houlton since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on July 4, 2002. 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)