The story of this market
The typical home in ZIP 04986 sells for about $209,000, or $145 per square foot.
Prices are down 4.3% from a year ago, which gives buyers more room to negotiate. Homes take about 62 days to sell, which is slow. HUD's fair market rent for a two-bedroom is $1,288 a month.
ZIP 04986 — Thorndike
The Thorndike housing market is currently experiencing a cooling phase with a year-over-year price decline of 4.3%. High vacancy rates and limited inventory characterize this rural market, where demand remains soft compared to more urbanized parts of Maine. Buyers are finding more leverage as days on market remain elevated.
This ZIP is best suited for rural-lifestyle seekers, retirees, or remote workers looking for affordable housing, rather than commuters or investors seeking high-yield urban assets.
Median prices moved down 4.3% year over year.
Homes spend a median of 62 days on market with 4.8 months of supply — a balanced-paced market.
13% of listings have cut prices · homes sell at 97.2% of asking — demand is running ahead of supply.
no recorded foreclosure-ledger notices (0.0 per 10,000 residents) · unemployment 2.4% · poverty 7.2% — a stable, low-distress profile.
Researched annual trajectory for this ZIP, from published historical series
Solid: researched ten-year history · dotted: 1 / 3 / 5-year projection extended from the historical 7.2%/yr trend — a deterministic estimate, not a published forecast or guarantee.
Median annual property tax paid on this ZIP's residential parcels
Solid: researched ten-year history · dotted: 1 / 3 / 5-year projection extended from the historical 5.7%/yr trend — a deterministic estimate, not a published forecast or guarantee.
versus the prior ACS vintage
ZCTA 04986, Waldo County, Maine
Local schools are primarily served by Regional School Unit 3, which provides rural educational services for the Waldo County area.
The area faces moderate risks related to winter weather and seasonal forest fire exposure, typical of rural Maine.
Economic momentum is limited, characterized by a rural, agricultural-based economy with minimal large-scale industrial or corporate development.
Composed from the ARED governance burden registry — tier-native tax structure (state + county + city + special districts), never averaged. State (Maine) — Maine Resident Homestead Property Tax Exemption: 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.
Commutes are primarily car-dependent, with residents traveling to nearby employment hubs like Belfast or Waterville via rural state routes.
The area offers access to rural outdoor activities including hiking, snowmobiling, and proximity to local lakes and forests.
The rental market is characterized by low density and high vacancy rates, with limited turnover and minimal institutional investor presence.
The economy is largely driven by agriculture, forestry, and small-scale local services, with limited major corporate employers in the immediate ZIP.
Public transit is non-existent; the area relies entirely on private vehicle transportation via state highways.
There are no major commercial or residential developments currently approved or under construction in this rural ZIP.
Waldo County assessments are conducted at the municipal level, with periodic revaluations to maintain state-mandated assessment ratios.
Parcels are subject to RSU 3 school district taxes and standard municipal property tax levies.
Property insurance premiums are influenced by rural fire response times and wildfire risk, generally remaining stable but sensitive to regional climate trends.
Maine is a judicial foreclosure state, requiring court intervention for the foreclosure process.
Maine law requires sellers to provide a property disclosure statement regarding the condition of the home, though it is limited in scope.
Data retrieved from data.census.gov ZCTA 04986 profiles.
Public schools whose reported address is in this area (NCES). Not attendance boundaries — schools that serve residents may sit outside it. Check the district's address locator for assignment.
- Common Ground Country Fair4.75.3 mi
- Hey Sailor!4.615.4 mi
- Belfast Market4.812.9 mi
- Lake St. George State Park4.611.2 mi
- Belfast and Moosehead Lake Railroad4.57.6 mi
- Colonial Theatre4.612.8 mi
- Heritage Park4.612.9 mi
- ALLPLaY Family Entertainment Center-Belfast4.412.9 mi
- Hey Sailor!4.615.4 mi
- Penobscot Marine Museum4.515.4 mi
- Belfast Armistice Bridge4.812.5 mi
- Lake St. George State Park4.611.2 mi
- The Rail Trail4.712.5 mi
- Heritage Park4.612.9 mi
- Swan Lake State Park4.512 mi
- Belfast Dog Park4.612.8 mi
- Sennebec Lake Campground4.319.2 mi
- The Club4.418.5 mi
- Reny's Department Store4.512.2 mi
- Chase's Daily4.612.8 mi
- Belfast Market4.812.9 mi
- Bangor International Airport4.327.5 mi
Theme parks, venues, golf, airports, museums, water and shopping across the area from Google Maps, ranked by popularity within the radius shown.
Serves as a community anchor for the RSU 3 district.
Extensive network of snowmobile and hiking trails.
Key-figure check: no independent anchor retained yet — first-researched cycles establish the anchor baseline this pass.