Appreciation Velocity — Maine Cities
Cities of Maine ranked by 1Y / 3Y / 5Y home-price appreciation.
Public Record
Top 10 — 5Y appreciation (Citys)
#1 · Waterville, ME
+400.5%
#2 · Hampden, ME
+396.7%
#3 · North Berwick, ME
+364.4%
#4 · South Portland, ME
+231.8%
#5 · Winthrop, ME
+194.4%
#6 · Hermon, ME
+172.4%
#7 · Wilton, ME
+165.9%
#8 · Limington, ME
+163.3%
#9 · Gray, ME
+147.9%
#10 · Brunswick, ME
+142.9%
City ranking — 5Y appreciation (highest first)
| # | City | State | 1Y | 3Y | 5Y | 10Y | Current median |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Waterville, ME | ME | +149.0% | +252.1% | +400.5% | +352.9% | $721.9K |
| 2 | Hampden, ME | ME | +226.6% | +89.9% | +396.7% | +450.2% | $1.19M |
| 3 | North Berwick, ME | ME | -7.9% | — | +364.4% | +406.9% | $415.6K |
| 4 | South Portland, ME | ME | -0.6% | +52.2% | +231.8% | +251.8% | $660K |
| 5 | Winthrop, ME | ME | — | — | +194.4% | +431.5% | $1.05M |
| 6 | Hermon, ME | ME | +25.0% | +22.5% | +172.4% | — | $490K |
| 7 | Wilton, ME | ME | +398.4% | -8.4% | +165.9% | +116.8% | $259.2K |
| 8 | Limington, ME | ME | — | — | +163.3% | +155.0% | $515K |
| 9 | Gray, ME | ME | +7.0% | +236.0% | +147.9% | +113.2% | $518.6K |
| 10 | Brunswick, ME | ME | +44.5% | -15.2% | +142.9% | +728.8% | $571.9K |
| 11 | Gardiner, ME | ME | +29.9% | — | +123.3% | — | $502.4K |
| 12 | York, ME | ME | +0.3% | -10.1% | +109.0% | +179.1% | $1.1M |
| 13 | Skowhegan, ME | ME | -54.5% | +26.1% | +99.8% | +58.3% | $189K |
| 14 | Naples, ME | ME | -4.9% | — | +92.0% | -58.6% | $445.5K |
| 15 | Lewiston, ME | ME | +4.0% | +19.3% | +81.0% | +55.7% | $304.3K |
| 16 | Newburgh, ME | ME | — | — | +77.8% | +287.3% | $470.5K |
| 17 | Old Town, ME | ME | -46.0% | +79.0% | +68.8% | +141.7% | $179K |
| 18 | Auburn, ME | ME | -8.7% | +7.8% | +67.4% | +48.0% | $340.3K |
| 19 | Augusta, ME | ME | -4.1% | +35.7% | +63.8% | +117.6% | $325K |
| 20 | Waldoboro, ME | ME | — | — | +62.3% | +160.4% | $408K |
| 21 | Bethel, ME | ME | -27.2% | -28.8% | +61.3% | +418.8% | $527.5K |
| 22 | Belgrade, ME | ME | -20.7% | +369.4% | +49.9% | +112.3% | $445.9K |
| 23 | Saint George, ME | ME | +86.8% | — | +46.9% | +211.5% | $778.8K |
| 24 | Machias, ME | ME | -13.3% | +293.3% | +46.6% | +142.3% | $239.9K |
| 25 | Bath, ME | ME | -29.9% | — | +44.7% | +168.4% | $384K |
| 26 | Livermore Falls, ME | ME | +77.6% | +54.7% | +39.6% | +107.3% | $273.1K |
| 27 | Northport, ME | ME | -16.4% | — | +38.4% | +34.3% | $376K |
| 28 | Rockland, ME | ME | +0.3% | -8.8% | +36.2% | +167.8% | $351.1K |
| 29 | Windham, ME | ME | +3.0% | -7.9% | +35.9% | +147.8% | $685.5K |
| 30 | Woodstock, ME | ME | — | — | +35.8% | — | $340K |
| 31 | Bangor, ME | ME | +12.8% | +71.2% | +34.6% | +120.3% | $363.8K |
| 32 | Cape Elizabeth, ME | ME | -16.4% | — | +34.2% | — | $1.04M |
| 33 | Portland, ME | ME | -11.5% | +24.3% | +33.1% | +133.6% | $563.3K |
| 34 | Buckfield, ME | ME | — | — | +25.8% | +124.6% | $252.9K |
| 35 | Presque Isle, ME | ME | -17.4% | +14.6% | +21.5% | +84.6% | $207.8K |
| 36 | Kennebunk, ME | ME | -38.4% | -18.7% | +19.4% | +44.1% | $470K |
| 37 | Saco, ME | ME | +5.9% | +45.5% | +18.4% | +186.5% | $709.7K |
| 38 | New Portland, ME | ME | — | -4.2% | +14.9% | — | $194K |
| 39 | Jay, ME | ME | — | — | +0.2% | +101.7% | $308.1K |
| 40 | Bucksport, ME | ME | +19.6% | — | -10.1% | +297.8% | $303.8K |
| 41 | Millinocket, ME | ME | — | +55.3% | -12.3% | +107.1% | $128.9K |
| 42 | Old Orchard Beach, ME | ME | -52.8% | -32.5% | -16.5% | +25.1% | $289.2K |
| 43 | Livermore, ME | ME | -12.4% | — | -20.6% | +121.7% | $272.7K |
| 44 | Levant, ME | ME | — | +166.8% | -23.3% | — | $184.1K |
| 45 | Eagle Lake, ME | ME | -46.7% | +492.6% | -23.5% | +21.9% | $320K |
| 46 | Topsham, ME | ME | -25.1% | — | -27.7% | +32.8% | $404.7K |
| 47 | Fort Fairfield, ME | ME | -27.7% | — | -47.6% | -30.4% | $100K |
| 48 | Carrabassett Valley, ME | ME | -68.2% | +71.8% | -52.0% | +44.5% | $264.1K |
| 49 | Casco, ME | ME | +82.7% | +163.0% | -72.4% | +145.2% | $469.1K |
How to read these numbers
Velocity vs. level
A market with 25% one-year appreciation is moving fast — but a market with steady 6% over ten years has compounded much further. Use 10Y as the long-run signal, 1Y as the momentum signal.
Mean-reversion risk
Markets that posted huge 1Y and 3Y gains often cool over the next cycle. Compare 1Y to 5Y: if 1Y is far above 5Y, the trend is accelerating; if far below, it is decelerating — often the more important signal.
Sample sanity
We require a minimum current median price (default $50K) to filter out tiny ZIPs with noisy data. Raise that threshold for serious investment markets; lower it to find emerging niches. Source: public record.