Howland, Maine, 2026
Howland’s story
196 years in pictures
Census counts: 329 in 1830, a low of 137 in 1880, 1,094 in 2020. The archive holds 3 old photos and papers going back to 2026 and 4 maps from 1917 on.
- 1830Howland is settled
Photo: Quintin Soloviev · CC BY 4.0
Population
1,166
2025 Census estimate · +6% since 2020
Typical home
$194K
+1.7% in a year
Household income
$49K
median
Median age
47.6
years
Jobs based here
317
A commuter town
Is Howland a good place to live?
The best of Howland’s subject grades are an A− for cost of living and schools; the weakest is a D− for incomes. 25% of residents live below the poverty line in Howland, against 9% in Maine’s towns and 9.6% across U.S. towns. On health, just 1 of Maine’s 285 towns do worse. Most errands need a car: it is less walkable than 73% of U.S. towns. The biggest park or preserve is Pond Farm Wildlife Management Area, at 452 acres. Howland has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Howland stand out
Where Howland beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
Typical home value
Howland$194K
Maine$412K
Cost of livingA−
2.9 years of income buys a home
More affordable than 76% of U.S. towns
Zillow Home Value Index; area median household income, Census ACS.
RSU 31/MSAD 31 schools
| School | Grades | Students |
|---|---|---|
| Hichborn Middle School | 6–8 | 98 |
| Penobscot Valley High School | 9–12 | 127 |
SchoolsA−
On state tests and graduation
NCES · EDFacts.
32 measures vs. Maine
0 better9 too close to call23 worse
| Widest gap | Howland | ME |
|---|---|---|
| More adults with COPD | 13.3% | 8.4% |
Worth knowing · HealthD−
Less healthy than 96% of U.S. towns
Trails ME on 23 of 32 CDC measures, beats it on none
Less healthyHealthier
CDC PLACES 2025 estimates.
Small town
1,166 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
MaxfieldEdinburgLagrangeHowland
How Howland grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Maine), ordered by how far Howland is from typical.
Jobs & incomeD−Open →HealthPenobscot Valley Hospital 11.2 miles awayD−Open →Cost of livingA−Open →SchoolsA−Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 6.3 of 20; 6.5% of households have no car; 0.8% of workers walk, bike or ride transitCOpen →Hazard riskinland flooding tops the listCOpen →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors3% conserved landC+Open →History1 notable person born hereBOpen →Civic life2.2 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsC+Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
Climate–Open →Housing market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 47.6; 12% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Howland: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Howland, and how to reach them.
PowerVersant Power30.1¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterHowland Water DepartmentNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers99% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpHowland Transfer Station/Recycling CenterDrop-offTown site
Register to voteOnlineIn Maine you can register online until 21 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (received 21 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereHowland Town ClerkThe town itself; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Oct 2026
ZIP codes04448, 0445304448 98% · 04453 2%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Aug 3, 2026.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Howland.
HealthD−
A larger share of adults in Howland report frequent physical distress than in the typical Maine or U.S. town
20% of Howland adults report frequent physical distress, where Maine’s towns sit at 14% and U.S. towns at 14%. 28% of Howland adults say their health is fair or poor. Only 8 of the 144 Maine towns we compare have a higher share of adults who report frequent mental distress than Howland.
4%healthier than U.S. townsD−Health Grade
| Howland | Maine towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 14% | 14% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 45% | 35% | 35% |
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 19% | 19% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 15% | 14% |
32 measures vs. Maine
0 better9 too close to call23 worse
| What stands out | Howland | ME |
|---|---|---|
| More adults with COPD | 13.3% | 8.4% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 23.3% | 14.8% |
| More adults facing food insecurity | 16.8% | 10.7% |
Penobscot Valley Hospital
11.2 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
SchoolsA−
Howland’s schools rank ahead of 76% of Maine districts
Its public schools are run by RSU 31/MSAD 31. Its two schools are below.
76%of ME districts it outscoresA−School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hichborn Middle SchoolLargest public middle schoolGrades 6–8 | Grades 6–8 | 98 | C+ |
| Penobscot Valley High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 127 | B+ |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within ME on state tests and graduation
HousingCost of living grade A−
Howland’s typical home value is about $194K
The typical Howland home is worth about $194,000, up 1.7% in a year, 53% below the Maine typical home. The median rent in Howland is $916 a month.
$194KZillow home value
| Howland | Maine towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $916 a month | $1,106 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 78% | 81% | 73% |
Typical home value
Howland$194K
Maine$412K
+1.7%
value change, 1 year
1
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Work & commuteJobs & income grade D−
Howland stands out in Maine and nationally: the median household income there is lower
Howland’s median household income is $49,000. Since 2013, Howland has added 49 jobs, to 317 in 2023. Howland’s average trip to work is 31 minutes.
13%work in town
| Howland | Maine towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 31 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $49,000 | $78,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 13% | 12% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Howland13%
Bangor21%
Enfield7%
Old Town6%
Lincoln4%
30 mi
median commute distance
317
jobs based in Howland
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
C
Walkability grade: more walkable than 27% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
Snowy winters and pleasant summers in Howland
Howland has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. July afternoons reach 80°, January nights drop to 7° and about 77 inches of snow falls in a winter.
77″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter10–30°
Spring30–52°
Summer54–78°
Fall37–57°
Oct 6
typical first frost
May 4
typical last frost
+1.6°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C
Howland faces a high natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 61% of U.S. communities. Since 1978, 6 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Howland.
61risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingHurricanes
6
paid flood claims since 1978
7
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
OutdoorsC+
Howland has set aside 2.7% of its land for conservation
12 miles of trail in 4 parks and preserves.
2.7%conserved
| Howland | Maine towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.3 miles per square mile | 0.7 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 2.7% | 4.7% | 4.3% |
2.7%
conserved · 612 of 22,645 acres
12 mi
of trails · 0.3 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Old Tannery Park | 0.7 mi | 13 |
| 2. Howland Research Forest | 0.4 mi | 294 |
| 3. Pond Farm Wildlife Management Area | — | 452 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Howland
19pages on Howland
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Howland; the nearest are
University of MaineUniversity or college · Public · Orono25.5 mi$13,326 in-state tuitionEastern Maine Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Bangor30.5 mi$4,156 in-state tuition
About 3 of every 100 Howland residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Maine.
A shrinking town
Howland has shrunk 7% since 2010
1,241 counted in 2010 and 1,094 in 2020; an estimated 1,166 in 2025.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
About Howland
Town in Maine, United States
Howland is a town in Penobscot County, Maine, United States, which was settled in 1818. It was named after John Howland, one of the passengers on the Mayflower. The population was 1,094 at the 2020 census. It contains a census-designated place of the same name.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 36 sq mi
- Elevation
- 157 ft
- ZIP code
- 04448
- Area code
- 207
Questions about Howland
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Howland, ME expensive?
Not for the area. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades A−.