The Housing Affordability Snapshots give a community-level read on affordability. Each one shows the median home price, the income a household would need to afford it, and how many residents can realistically buy at that price.
A median‑priced home in Machiasport now costs about seven times what a typical household earns. With a local median income of around $65,000, residents fall well short of what it takes to buy a home. Machiasport’s numbers are the starkest in the county, but the pressure behind them is felt everywhere in Washington County.
To get a clearer view of the housing crisis in Washington County, Sunrise County Economic Council has released two new resources: the Washington County Housing Summit Dashboard and a set of Housing Affordability Snapshots for communities across the county.
The Washington County Housing Summit Dashboard
The dashboard pulls together data on short-term rentals, latent housing parcels, dilapidated properties, and community infrastructure across nine focus communities. This tool was Developed by Sunrise County Economic Council as part of a regional effort to connect housing needs with sites that can be developed and local planning tools already available. SCEC works with developers, lenders, town leaders, social service providers, and housing organizations to find the tools, financing, and expertise to move projects forward.
Open the housing dashboard and explore your community here: sunrisecounty.org/housing .
Above: Housing data from Eastport (one of nine focus communities) shows short-term rental data, dilapidated properties and latent housing parcels.Â
Washington County Housing Affordability Snapshots
The Housing Affordability Snapshots give a community-level read on affordability. Each one shows the median home price, the income a household would need to afford it, and how many residents can realistically buy at that price.
Browse the individual snapshots or download the full set as a PDF at sunrisecounty.org/housing . If your town isn’t listed, the data has not yet been released by MaineHousing.
The snapshots illustrate an important question: If the median income in a town is above what it takes to buy a median-priced home, why is affordability still a problem?
While in some communities the median household income is slightly above the level needed to purchase a median-priced home, that statistic does not reflect the reality facing many local families. Median income represents the midpoint, meaning nearly half of all households earn less. Many prospective homebuyers also face additional barriers, including limited savings for a down payment, high debt ratios, or credit challenges that make qualifying for a mortgage difficult.
Above: Housing Affordability Snapshot from Baileyville shows a surplus in the median income but also that only 56% of residents can afford a home.Â
Even for households with sufficient income, rising costs for utilities, homeowners’ insurance, property taxes, and transportation reduce the amount they can safely devote to housing. At the same time, the supply of homes priced at or below the median remains limited. As a result, an estimated 59% of Washington County households cannot afford to purchase a home, despite a market that may appear affordable based on median figures alone.
Mortgage interest rates have further eroded affordability. According to MaineHousing, “Maine’s mortgage interest rates have increased 112% from 2021 to 2025,” significantly reducing purchasing power and putting homeownership out of reach for many households.
When residents can find homes they can afford in the communities where they work, raise families, and build businesses, the entire regional economy benefits. Take a look at the data for your community, and get in touch if you need assistance.
For more information, contact Elaine Abbott, Program Manager for Broadband and Workforce Housing, at eabbott@sunrisecounty.org or 207-255-0983.