Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Hallowell grades A− overall, 27th among Maine's 142 graded towns, with clear strengths and some subjects that lag. Crime is low: it reports less per resident than 93% of U.S. towns and it is easier to get around on foot or by transit than 87% of U.S. towns. On the other side, FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk higher than 81% of U.S. communities, with inland flooding at the top. History is its standout character grade: an A+, better than 100% of U.S. towns, with 6 places on the National Register. Hallowell’s average trip to work is 14 minutes, against 25 minutes in Maine’s towns and 25 minutes across U.S. towns. No town in Maine scores higher than Hallowell on history. Hallowell's civic life (library use, community groups, volunteering) is stronger than in 99% of U.S. towns.
Where Hallowell beats most towns.
Row House
Census counts: 1,194 in 1790, a peak of 4,769 in 1850, 2,570 in 2020. The archive holds 12 old photos and papers going back to 1806 and 5 maps from 1892 on.
6 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Maine), ordered by how far Hallowell is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Who provides power, water and the rest in Hallowell, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Aug 3, 2026.
Ordered by what stands out in Hallowell.
Hallowell pairs an A− overall with homes cheaper than the Maine norm and is healthier than towns with similar incomes, but it carries more natural-hazard risk than most of Maine (mostly inland flooding).
6.8 miles of trail in 7 parks and preserves. Hallowell’s trail density is 1.1 miles per square mile. The biggest park or preserve is Jamies Pond Wildlife Management Area, at 180 acres.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Vaughan Woods | 2.4 mi | 161 |
| 2. Jamies Pond Wildlife Management Area | 0.4 mi | 180 |
| 3. Effie L. Berry Conservation Area | 0.3 mi | 7 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Its public schools are run by RSU 02. Its one school is below.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hall-Dale Elementary SchLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 311 | – |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within ME on state tests and graduation
Violent crime is rare: 0 reported in 2025, 0 per 1,000 residents.
The property crime rate in Hallowell is 1.9 per 1,000 residents.
| Hallowell | Maine towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 1.9 per 1,000 residents | 7.5 | 9.9 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 0 per 1,000 residents | 0.6 | 1.6 |
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk higher than 99% of Maine towns, with expected losses of about $675 per resident a year; that rating is what its D for hazard risk is built on.
Since 1978, 69 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Hallowell. Among 143 Maine towns, just 1 have a higher FEMA risk score than Hallowell.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
The Gardiner weather station, 5 miles away, records that 69 inches of snow fall in a normal winter: more than most of the country, but less than 81% of Maine places with climate records.
Hallowell has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. July afternoons reach 79° and January nights drop to 10°.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Hallowell has about as many jobs (1,158) as working residents, but only 99 people both live and work here. The average commute takes 14.1 minutes, against 24.6 across Maine.
Most working residents leave Hallowell for work: only 9% work in town. Jobs based in Hallowell grew to 1,158 in 2023, 68 more than in 2013. The top destinations are Augusta (37%), Waterville (4%) and Gardiner (3%).
| Hallowell | Maine towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $68,000 | $78,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 7.8% | 9% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 8.7% | 12% | 8% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Against the 10,376 U.S. towns with household incomes like Hallowell’s, it is healthier than 75%, so its B isn’t only a matter of income.
12% of adults binge drink in Hallowell. Hallowell beats the Maine average on 4 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 3. 32% of adults sleep under 7 hours in Hallowell.
| Hallowell | Maine towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 12% | 15% | 16% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 32% | 33% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 83% | 81% | 79% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 32% | 33% | 36% |
| What stands out | Hallowell | ME |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer binge drinkers | 11.5% | 15.5% |
| More adults seeing a dentist | 69.7% | 63.8% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 18% | 14.8% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Hallowell grades A− overall with a typical home of about $377K, below the Maine typical value; only 6 of the 33 Maine towns graded A− or better can say that.
The typical Hallowell home is worth about $377,000, up 1.7% in a year, 9% below the Maine typical home. 58% of Hallowell households own their home.
| Hallowell | Maine towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 58% | 81% | 73% |
| Median rent | $890 a month | $1,108 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
1 within 15 miles of the center of Hallowell
About 6 of every 100 Hallowell residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Maine.
6 places in Hallowell on the National Register of Historic Places.
12 notable people were born in Hallowell.
City in Maine, United States
Hallowell ( HAW-lə-wel) is a city in Kennebec County, Maine, United States. The population was 2,570 at the 2020 census. Popular with tourists, Hallowell is noted for its culture and old architecture. Hallowell is included in the Augusta, Maine, micropolitan New England City and Town Area.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
4 towns share a border with Hallowell.
It grades higher overall than all 3 graded towns on its borders; Chelsea (B) comes closest.
| Town | ME rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hallowell | #27 | A− | C | A | B | B |
| Farmingdale | #93 | C | B− | — | B | C+ |
| Manchester | — | — | C+ | — | A− | A− |
| Chelsea | #51 | B | B | — | A− | C |
| Augusta | #140 | D− | C+ | D | D | C |
Manchester has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. Farmingdale, Manchester and Chelsea report no FBI crime data of their own. Compare Hallowell with a neighbor →
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
By most measures, yes. Hallowell grades A− overall, better than 78% of U.S. towns and #27 of 142 in Maine. It grades B for health, A for safety and B for schools. Hazard risk is its weak spot, with a D.
Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C.
12 notable people were born here, including Jacob Abbott and George Evans.
