The Town Files

Madawaska, Maine

Community in Aroostook County · population 2,797 (2020 Census)

Map: where Madawaska is in MaineMadawaska
Median home
$158,300
Household income
$55,666
Jan low / Jul high
3° / 76°
Snow a year
99 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
0
Median age
53.2

Madawaska is a community of 2,797 people in Aroostook County, Maine. The median home is worth $158,300, below the typical Maine town ($238,950). It ranks better for retirees than 83% of Maine towns, better for first-time buyers than 82% of Maine towns, more vibrant than 78% of Maine towns.

Madawaska in our rankings:

How Madawaska 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.

Madawaska lifestyle rankings vs other Maine townsRetirement83rd pctFamilies17th pctQuiet51st pctWalkability50th pctFirst-time buyers82nd pctYoung professionals45th pctVibrancy78th pctHip & trendy42nd pctCollege town20th pctUpscale25th pctVacation homes59th pctSeaside characterbottomCyclingbottomTransitbottomDriving74th pcttypical
The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025).

Homes and cost of living

The median home in Madawaska is worth $158,300, below the typical Maine town ($238,950). Homes cost about 2.8 times the median household income of $55,666, which is more affordable than 74% of Maine towns. Median rent is $626 a month. 63.0% of households own their home.

Madawaska vs Aroostook County vs typical Maine townMadawaskaAroostook CountyTypical Maine townHome value$158,300$149,700$238,950Household income$55,666$56,700$68,967Monthly rent$626$784$1,027
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of Maine towns with 500+ people.
HousingMadawaskaTypical Maine town
Median home value$158,300$238,950
Median rent$626$1,027
Median household income$55,666$68,967
Home value ÷ income2.8×3.4×
Homeownership63.0%82.4%
Median year built19661978
Seasonal / vacation homes0.7%—

Who lives in Madawaska

PeopleMadawaskaTypical Maine town
Median age53.246.9
Age 65 and over30.5%22.9%
Under 1818.9%—
Bachelor's degree or higher23.9%28.2%
Below the poverty line15.1%10.7%
Veterans12.0%—
Born outside the U.S.11.7%—
Work from home7.8%12.3%
Average commute10.8 min25.5 min
Homes with broadband78.8%90.0%

Weather in Madawaska

July highs average 75.5°F and January lows 3.2°F. About 32.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 98.5 inches of snow (typical Maine town: 77.2 in). Expect about 1 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 183 nights at or below freezing.

Madawaska monthly temperatures and precipitation0°10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°32° freezing19°3°Jan22°6°Feb33°16°Mar46°30°Apr62°42°May71°51°Jun76°57°Jul74°55°Aug66°47°Sep51°36°Oct38°26°Nov26°13°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue1.521.60.920.71.518.52.46.33.10.14.23.93.83.53.51.02.68.42.321.8
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Frenchville Aroostook Ap station (4.0 mi away); snowfall estimated from the 2 nearest snow stations, weighted by distance.

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Madawaska since 1950.

Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 11 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on August 4, 2007.

Severe weather in Aroostook County since 1996

Storm events in Aroostook County since 1996 by typeHail195Heat27Flood97Blizzard25High Wind101Heavy Snow272Flash Flood65Winter Storm220
NOAA Storm Events Database, Aroostook County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996). 5 deaths recorded.

Aroostook County has been included in 24 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, freezing, hurricane.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
September 14, 2023HurricaneEM-3598: Hurricane Lee
April 4, 2020BiologicalDR-4522: Covid-19 Pandemic
March 13, 2020BiologicalEM-3444: Covid-19
February 1, 2011Severe StormDR-1953: Severe Storms And Flooding
May 9, 2008FloodDR-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 Madawaska itself the ACS puts it at 8.7%.

Largest industries in Aroostook CountyHealth care & social assistan…4,698 jobs · $54,727Retail3,751 jobs · $35,285Manufacturing2,745 jobs · $64,802Hotels & restaurants1,660 jobs · $22,893Agriculture, forestry & fishi…1,327 jobs · $45,982Construction908 jobs · $56,877
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Aroostook County, 2000–20230%2%4%6%8%10%12%2000200420082012201620202023Aroostook 3.9%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Towns near Madawaska

Madawaska questions

Is Madawaska, Maine a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Madawaska scores better for retirees than 83% of Maine towns and quieter than 51%. 30.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 53.2).

How much does a house cost in Madawaska?

The median owner-occupied home in Madawaska is valued at $158,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $55,666, so homes cost about 2.8 times income. Median rent is $626 a month.

What is the weather like in Madawaska?

July highs average 75.5°F and January lows 3.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 32.9 inches of precipitation a year and 98.5 inches of snow.

Does Madawaska get tornadoes?

No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Madawaska in NOAA's Storm Events Database since 1950.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Madawaska's Census boundary (GEOID 2342485). Comparisons use the median of Maine towns with at least 500 people. Weather comes from the nearest NOAA normals station; storm counts use NOAA tornado tracks within 10 miles of the town center. Data snapshot 2026-11-13.