The story of this market
The typical home in Cumberland County, Maine sells for about $559,000, or $324 per square foot.
Prices are up +1.6% from a year ago, so sellers still have some momentum. Homes take about 40 days to sell. Over the long run, values in this county have grown 232% since 2000. Last year 56 of 74 neighborhoods saw prices rise, so the story isn't the same street to street. The biggest natural hazard here is winter weather, which FEMA rates very high. HUD's fair market rent for a two-bedroom is $2,400 a month.
FEMA's National Risk Index rates overall hazard risk here as Very Low.
Price climate
Every year of price change, 2000–2025
+3.5%
2025
Each stripe is one year's median price change across the area's census tracts (FHFA repeat-sales index). Deep blue is a strong gain year, red a falling year. Best: 2022 (+18.1%). Worst: 2009 (-4.5%). Hover to read a year.
Monthly price momentum
Home values since 2015
+6.8%
ME · past 12 months
Freddie Mac House Price Index, single-family homes, monthly through 2026-08. Each line starts at 100 in January 2015, so a reading of 180 means prices are up 80% since then.
Neighborhood price trend
Long-run price trend, 2000–2025
+3.5%
2025 change
FHFA repeat-sales index, median of 74 census tracts in this county (2000 = 100). Bars are each year's median change.
Natural hazard exposure
The area's risk shape
15
Very Low
FEMA National Risk Index. Each spoke is a hazard ranked nationally, where 100 is the most exposed. Expected annual loss: $69,167,965.
Mortgage activity
Home lending in this county
80.3%
2018 approval rate
| Year | Applications | Loans made | Approval | Investor share | Median home value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 16456 | 9518 | 80.3% | 5.7% | $335,000 |
CFPB Home Mortgage Disclosure Act records: every mortgage application reported by lenders for homes in this county. Approval rate is approved ÷ decided (withdrawn and incomplete files excluded). Investor share and home value are the median census tract.
Cumberland County, Maine
Cumberland County's residential real estate market remains fundamentally strong with resilient pricing and modest annual gains, driven by persistent demand in the Greater Portland corridor. Active inventory has gradually increased, giving buyers marginally more negotiating room while maintaining a near-100% sale-to-list ratio for properly priced properties. Tight structural supply and healthy regional employment continue to support long-term property values across the county.
No ARED distress-ledger coverage for this county yet — the foreclosure ingest rotates the national county directory, and filings appear here once the county's posted notices are read. Key-figure check: no independent anchor retained yet — first-researched cycles establish the anchor baseline this pass.
Select a city to expand its ZIP intel reports beneath · 28 cities · 41 ZIP reports
Median prices moved up 14.3% year over year.
Homes spend a median of 38 days on market with 2.7 months of supply — a fast-moving market.
1% of listings have cut prices · homes sell at 55.35% of asking — demand is holding steady.
no recorded foreclosure-ledger notices (0.0 per 10,000 residents) · unemployment 2.9% · poverty 8.5% — a stable, low-distress profile.
Owned and leased federal assets with active or excess status, per the General Services Administration's Real Estate Across the United States inventory (read 2026-09-25). A federal footprint read on this county — not a market valuation, and never an attribute of any individual property or tenant.
Deterministic aggregate of 41 researched ZIP reports — sales_count-weighted (population fallback); per point, children lacking the value or its weight are excluded. Tax rates, sentiment and context notes are tier-native and never roll.
Cumberland County, Maine — researched county-level history with a deterministic 1 / 3 / 5-year projection
Solid: researched ten-year history · dotted: 1 / 3 / 5-year projection extended from the historical 8.6%/yr trend — a deterministic estimate, not a published forecast or guarantee.
Each property observation weighs one in its ZIP's deterministic roll-up — property-level records (taxes, scores, permits) never roll individually. Latest property research run Oct 15, 2026.
researched Sep 26
researched Sep 26
researched Sep 26
researched Sep 26
researched Sep 26
researched Sep 26
researched Sep 26
researched Sep 26
researched Sep 26
researched Sep 26
| 04003 | Bailey Island | $854,000 | $450 | +2.1% | 65 | 97% | 15% | 6 | 12 | $2,400 | researched Sep 26 |
| 04009 | Bridgton | $317,100 | $205 | +3.2% | 45 | 98.5% | 12% | 5.8 | 82 | $1,188 | researched Sep 26 |
| 04011 | Brunswick | $690,000 | $293 | +41.4% | 35 | — | — | — | 81 | $1,469 | researched Sep 26 |
| 04015 | Casco | $455,000 | $250 | +2.1% | 43 | 98.5% | 15% | 4.2 | 45 | $1,395 | researched Sep 26 |
| 04017 | Chebeague Island | $509,900 | $328 | +1.3% | 21 | 100% | — | — | 5 | $2,063 | researched Sep 26 |
| 04021 | Cumberland | $782,000 | $335 | -16.8% | 43 | 98.5% | 15% | 3.2 | 20 | $2,579 | researched Sep 26 |
| 04024 | Baldwin | $440,000 | $133 | +2.6% | 6 | 101.3% | — | 2.3 | 4 | $1,500 | researched Sep 26 |
| 04029 | Sebago | $562,066 | $283 | +2% | 43 | — | — | — | 5,886 | $1,533 | researched Sep 26 |
| 04032 | Freeport | $445,800 | $255 | +3.2% | 45 | 98.5% | 12% | 3.8 | 85 | $1,439 | researched Sep 26 |
| 04038 | Gorham | $650,000 | $220 | +14.5% | 43 | 100.1% | 22.3% | 2.7 | 50 | $1,680 | researched Sep 26 |
Figures are each ZIP report's own latest research — the county roll-up aggregates them sales_count-weighted (population fallback); ZIPs cycle quarterly.
Cumberland County maintains lower violent crime rates than national averages, though urban centers like Portland and South Portland experience higher localized property crime rates than outer rural towns. Regional trends show overall safety levels remaining favorable relative to national benchmarks.
The county features some of the highest-rated public school districts in Maine, notably Cape Elizabeth, Falmouth, Yarmouth, and Greely (MSAD 51), which consistently earn top national and statewide academic accolades.
Coastal flood and winter storm surge risks represent the primary natural hazards, with approximately 11% of properties facing severe flood risk according to Risk Factor models. Winter freeze-thaw damage and rising coastal property insurance premiums are ongoing considerations for shoreline parcels.
Cumberland County serves as Maine's economic center, anchored by healthcare, financial services, life sciences, and tourism hubs in greater Portland. Mixed-use residential infill, life sciences developments, and transportation infrastructure enhancements around the Portland International Jetport continue to drive sustained economic momentum.
Composed from the ARED governance burden registry — tier-native tax structure (state + county + city + special districts), never averaged. Federal (United States (federal)) — Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) Superfund Liens: Establishes a statutory federal lien upon the parcel running in favor of the United States for all unrecovered cleanup costs, damages, and statutory interest incurred by the EPA. Rate and formula: Direct Dollar-for-Dollar Reimbursement (Lien Amount = Incurred Response Costs + Administrative Costs + Federal (United States (federal)) — Foreign Investment in Real Property Tax Act (FIRPTA) Withholding: Imposes an affirmative withholding tax obligation on the transferee (buyer) to withhold and remit tax on the gross amount realized (gross sales price). The statutory base withholding rate is 15% of the total purchase price (Formula: Tax = Amount Realized × 15%). Exemptions and reductions: (1) 0% wit Federal (United States (federal)) — Federal General Tax Lien Encumbrance: Under IRC § 6321, a statutory lien arises automatically as of the date of assessment and attaches to all real property owned or acquired by the taxpayer.
Rental demand is robust across greater Portland with median rents hovering near $2,400 monthly. Supply constraints remain tight in the urban core, driving vacancy lower and sustaining steady pricing pressure despite tenant affordability headwinds.
Cumberland County represents Maine's economic engine, driven by healthcare (MaineHealth), banking and fintech (WEX), animal diagnostics (IDEXX Laboratories), and tourism. Professional services, education, and light manufacturing further bolster steady employment growth across the region.
The county is bisected by Interstate 95 (Maine Turnpike) and Interstate 295, connecting key coastal communities. Public transit services include the Greater Portland Metro bus system, South Portland Bus Service, and the Amtrak Downeaster rail corridor connecting to Boston.
Municipal planning departments prioritize transit-oriented infill, commercial corridor revitalizations, and coastal resiliency zoning updates. Regional planning commissions also focus on expanding multifamily housing allowances to address acute local housing supply crunches.
Maine operates under a municipal assessment model where individual city and town assessors, rather than a single county-wide appraisal district, establish real estate valuations according to State Constitution just value standards.
Parcels are subject to municipal general funds, regional school administrative districts (RSUs/MSADs), and specialized utility water and sewer districts such as the Portland Water District.
Property insurance is generally accessible, though coastal properties face higher flood insurance rates through the NFIP and private markets following repeated severe winter storm surges and wind damage.
Maine has seen strong positive net domestic migration from metropolitan regions across the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic, with Cumberland County absorbing a significant portion of incoming residents.
Maine enforces a strictly judicial foreclosure process, requiring lender court filings and formal judgments with statutory redemption periods granted to property owners.
Maine law requires sellers of residential real property to complete a comprehensive property disclosure statement regarding water supply, heating systems, waste disposal, and known hazardous materials prior to or at the time of an offer.
The amenity base that shapes daily life and property demand in this county — what residents actually live with, and what the pipeline is adding.
Iconic coastal lighthouse and 90-acre municipal park located in Cape Elizabeth serving the entire county.
Major freshwater recreational lake offering boating, camping, and beaches in western Cumberland County.
Renowned historic working waterfront and dining hub featuring 19th-century brick architecture, boutique shops, and award-winning restaurants.
The state's largest and oldest public art institution, located in the downtown Portland Arts District.
Retrieved via Census Bureau data tables for Cumberland County (023005).
Municipalities may place a tax lien on a property for unpaid taxes. If the taxes, interest, and costs are not paid within 18 months of the filing of the tax lien certificate, the lien automatically forecloses, and the municipality acquires title to the property.
36 M.R.S. § 943; establishes the automatic foreclosure process and notice requirements.
Maine requires a judicial process for mortgage foreclosure. The process involves a notice of default, followed by the filing of a foreclosure summons and complaint in court. The property owner has rights to participate in mediation and a redemption period as determined by the court.
Governed by Maine Rules of Civil Procedure and state statutes; judicial foreclosure is the standard procedure.
Sellers must provide a written disclosure statement to the purchaser covering the water supply system, heating system, waste disposal system, and the presence of hazardous materials (asbestos, lead-based paint, radon).
33 M.R.S. § 173; enacted 1999, with subsequent amendments regarding specific system disclosures.
applies when — The parcel must be the permanent residence of the owner and the owner must have been a Maine resident for at least 12 months prior to April 1st of the tax year.
Provides a reduction in the valuation of the homestead for property tax purposes. The exemption amount is set by state statute (currently $25,000 of the just value of the property). The formula is: (Just Value - Homestead Exemption) * Local Tax Rate = Tax Due.
36 M.R.S. § 683; effective for tax years beginning on or after April 1, 2016.
Governance registry — every jurisdiction re-researches on a rolling 90-day cycle. Property reports compose these inherited burdens into a per-parcel ledger with conditional determinations. Informational only — not legal advice.