Rent Trends / ME
Rent Trends in Maine: 2015 to 2026
Yearly Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI) for 32 cities in Maine. The average across tracked cities is $2,026/month in 2026, up from $1,298 in 2015 (+56.1%). That sits $61 above (+3.1% vs) the U.S. typical rent of $1,965.
Last updated: July 19, 2026
Source: Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI) · Jan snapshots for 2015–2025; 2026 column = June 2026 release · U.S. typical rent $1,965 (June 2026)
What the Maine rent trend shows
This page follows market rents in Maine from 2015 through mid-2026 using the same Zillow ZORI vintage for every city in the table. State figures below are simple averages of the tracked cities — useful for comparing places inside Maine and stacking the state against the published U.S. typical rent ($1,965/month in June 2026, up from $1,362 in January 2019 on our national series).
Since 2023, the tracked-city average in Maine has risen from about $1,666 to $2,026 (+21.6%). That is the post-spike path — not a full reset to mid-2010s rents. The latest year step (2025 → 2026) is +8.1% ($1,874 → $2,026).
Within the state, long-run winners and losers split by city. The largest percentage increase from the earliest reading to 2026 is Portland (+87.1%, $1,298 → $2,429). 1 of 32 tracked cities are higher than their 2015 (or earliest) level.
For the national rent story, see the Rent Index. Statewide maps live on Rent by State. Full city database: Rent by City.
City-level breakdown in Maine
Lowest 2026 rents
- Presque Isle — $1,150
- Waterville — $1,295
- Gardiner — $1,415
- Brewer — $1,422
- Lewiston — $1,480
Highest 2026 rents
- Falmouth — $3,242
- Cape Elizabeth — $2,908
- Scarborough — $2,694
- South Portland — $2,533
- Freeport — $2,532
Full list with every year from 2015–2026 is in the sortable table below.
All Maine cities — yearly rent table
| City | Metro | '15 | '16 | '17 | '18 | '19 | '20 | '21 | '22 | '23 | '24 | '25 | '26 | % Chg |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portland | $1,298 | $1,365 | $1,430 | $1,470 | $1,525 | $1,617 | $1,763 | $1,978 | $2,085 | $2,155 | $2,251 | $2,429 | +87.1% | |
| Lewiston | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,388 | $1,480 | +6.6% | |
| Bangor | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,096 | $1,254 | $1,318 | $1,415 | $1,462 | $1,592 | +45.3% | |
| South Portland | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,987 | $2,108 | $2,187 | $2,320 | $2,533 | +27.5% | |
| Auburn | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,392 | $1,503 | +8.0% | |
| Biddeford | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,636 | $1,810 | $1,863 | $1,982 | +21.1% | |
| Brunswick | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $2,034 | $2,109 | +3.7% | |
| Scarborough | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $2,338 | $2,694 | +15.2% | |
| Westbrook | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $2,427 | +0.0% | |
| Saco | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $2,226 | +0.0% | |
| Augusta | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,183 | $1,314 | $1,349 | $1,533 | +29.6% | |
| Sanford | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,681 | +0.0% | |
| Gorham | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $2,150 | +0.0% | |
| Waterville | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,295 | +0.0% | |
| York | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $2,317 | +0.0% | |
| Orono | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,625 | +0.0% | |
| Kennebunk | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $2,525 | +0.0% | |
| Falmouth | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $3,242 | +0.0% | |
| Kittery | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $2,345 | $2,459 | +4.9% | |
| Brewer | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,422 | +0.0% | |
| Presque Isle | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,150 | +0.0% | |
| Bath | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,825 | +0.0% | |
| Ellsworth | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,748 | +0.0% | |
| Old Orchard Beach | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,915 | +0.0% | |
| Freeport | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $2,532 | +0.0% | |
| Yarmouth | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $2,455 | +0.0% | |
| South Berwick | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $2,200 | +0.0% | |
| Old Town | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,801 | +0.0% | |
| Cape Elizabeth | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $2,908 | +0.0% | |
| Rockland | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,775 | +0.0% | |
| Gardiner | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,415 | +0.0% | |
| Springvale | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,895 | +0.0% |
Click any column header to sort · % Chg uses earliest available year → 2026
Frequently asked questions — Maine rent
Is Maine cheap to rent in 2026?
It depends which city you pick. The average across 32 tracked Maine cities is about $2,026/month — $61 above (+3.1% vs) the U.S. typical rent of $1,965. Use the city table for local prices; the national typical rent is $1,965/month as of June 2026.
What city in Maine has the cheapest rent?
Among cities in our ZORI sample, Presque Isle is the lowest at about $1,150/month (2026). Other lower-rent cities include Waterville ($1,295), Gardiner ($1,415), Brewer ($1,422).
What city in Maine has the most expensive rent?
Falmouth leads our sample at about $3,242/month in 2026, followed by Cape Elizabeth ($2,908) and Scarborough ($2,694).
How much have rents in Maine changed since 2015?
Across tracked cities, the average moved from about $1,298 in 2015 to $2,026 in 2026 (+56.1%). 1 of 32 cities are higher than their earliest reading in this series; the largest percentage jump is Portland (+87.1%).
Are rents in Maine still rising year over year?
From 2025 to 2026, the average across tracked Maine cities went from about $1,874 to $2,026 (+8.1%). Since 2023 ($1,666), that is +21.6%. Individual cities can diverge — sort by % Chg or compare the '25 and '26 columns.