Guest, Sign inJoin
Hallowell Maine (35888899726)Hallowell, #1 on this list · Photo: formulanone from Huntsville, United States · CC BY-SA 2.0
Maine rankings · History

Most historic towns in Maine

Hallowell ranks first on history among Maine’s 143 towns of 2,500+; 90 of the 143 grade A− or better on history nationally.

The History grade, a character grade (not part of the overall): the town’s founding era, homes built before 1940 (Census ACS) and its National Register places. How grades work

#1

Hallowell

Kennebec County · 2,624 people
A+

History grade, among the top in the U.S.·Overall A− · #27 of 142 in ME

#2

Portland

Cumberland County · 69,911 people
A+

History grade, among the top in the U.S.·Overall C · #102 of 142 in ME

#3

Bath

Sagadahoc County · 8,835 people
A+

History grade, among the top in the U.S.·Overall B+ · #36 of 142 in ME

All 143 towns

History grade, best first (the letter is national). Towns with the same score share a rank (T = tied; 2 towns here); the overall grade and state rank are beside each.

143 towns ranked. Not here? See why a town may be missing.

#TownGradeOverall
1HallowellKennebec County · 2,624 peopleA+among the top in the U.S.·Overall A− · #27 of 142
2PortlandCumberland County · 69,911 peopleA+among the top in the U.S.·Overall C · #102 of 142
3BathSagadahoc County · 8,835 peopleA+among the top in the U.S.·Overall B+ · #36 of 142
4BelfastWaldo County · 6,988 peopleA+among the top in the U.S.·Overall B− · #66 of 142
5RockportKnox County · 3,628 peopleA+among the top in the U.S.·Overall A− · #26 of 142
6CalaisWashington County · 3,083 peopleA+among the top in the U.S.·Overall C+ · #85 of 142
7AugustaKennebec County · 19,155 peopleA+among the top in the U.S.·Overall D− · #140 of 142
8LewistonAndroscoggin County · 38,866 peopleA+better than 98% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #138 of 142
9BiddefordYork County · 22,399 peopleA+better than 98% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #115 of 142
10ThomastonKnox County · 2,751 peopleA+better than 98% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #123 of 142
11BangorPenobscot County · 32,518 peopleA+better than 98% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #109 of 142
12CamdenKnox County · 5,204 peopleA+better than 97% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #28 of 142
13RumfordOxford County · 6,025 peopleA+better than 97% of U.S. towns·Overall D− · #139 of 142
14South BerwickYork County · 7,941 peopleA+better than 97% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #20 of 142
15KitteryYork County · 11,420 peopleA+better than 97% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #43 of 142
16SacoYork County · 21,159 peopleA+better than 97% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #22 of 142
17GardinerKennebec County · 6,206 peopleA+better than 96% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #82 of 142
18Bar HarborHancock County · 5,352 peopleA+better than 96% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #18 of 142
19BethelOxford County · 2,751 peopleA+better than 96% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #134 of 142
20BrunswickCumberland County · 23,055 peopleA+better than 96% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #24 of 142
21KennebunkYork County · 12,152 peopleA+better than 96% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #10 of 142
22YorkYork County · 14,293 peopleA+better than 95% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #7 of 142
23SkowheganSomerset County · 8,676 peopleA+better than 95% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #128 of 142
24BristolLincoln County · 2,969 peopleA+better than 95% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #14 of 142
25FarmingtonFranklin County · 8,258 peopleA+better than 95% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #99 of 142
26ParisOxford County · 5,409 peopleAbetter than 95% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #122 of 142
27KennebunkportYork County · 3,717 peopleAbetter than 94% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #25 of 142
28WoolwichSagadahoc County · 3,287 peopleAbetter than 94% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #19 of 142
29FryeburgOxford County · 3,576 peopleAbetter than 94% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #98 of 142
30Orono College campusPenobscot County · 12,421 peopleAbetter than 94% of U.S. towns·Overall A
31NorwayOxford County · 5,349 peopleAbetter than 94% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #133 of 142
32WiscassetLincoln County · 3,998 peopleAbetter than 93% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #119 of 142
33HoultonAroostook County · 6,056 peopleAbetter than 93% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #114 of 142
34AuburnAndroscoggin County · 25,441 peopleAbetter than 92% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #126 of 142
35Old TownPenobscot County · 7,589 peopleAbetter than 92% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #105 of 142
36RichmondSagadahoc County · 3,609 peopleAbetter than 92% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #40 of 142
37FairfieldSomerset County · 6,537 peopleAbetter than 91% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #121 of 142
38WatervilleKennebec County · 17,579 peopleAbetter than 91% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #137 of 142
39WinthropKennebec County · 6,158 peopleAbetter than 91% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #48 of 142
40BoothbayLincoln County · 3,155 peopleAbetter than 91% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #73 of 142
41SearsportWaldo County · 2,737 peopleAbetter than 91% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #129 of 142
42Blue HillHancock County · 2,798 peopleAbetter than 91% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #47 of 142
43GorhamCumberland County · 19,239 peopleAbetter than 90% of U.S. towns·Overall A+ · #2 of 142
44AlfredYork County · 3,188 peopleAbetter than 90% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #63 of 142
45SanfordYork County · 22,663 peopleAbetter than 90% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #104 of 142
46New GloucesterCumberland County · 5,964 peopleAbetter than 90% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #13 of 142
47St. GeorgeKnox County · 2,595 peopleAbetter than 90% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #86 of 142
48HancockHancock County · 2,593 peopleAbetter than 90% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #112 of 142
49BuxtonYork County · 8,681 peopleAbetter than 89% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #31 of 142
50WaldoboroLincoln County · 5,324 peopleAbetter than 89% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #54 of 142
51VassalboroKennebec County · 4,647 peopleAbetter than 88% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #135 of 142
52RocklandKnox County · 7,142 peopleAbetter than 88% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #94 of 142
53LebanonYork County · 6,801 peopleAbetter than 88% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #64 of 142
54Cape ElizabethCumberland County · 9,827 peopleAbetter than 88% of U.S. towns·Overall A+ · #3 of 142
55HarpswellCumberland County · 5,102 peopleAbetter than 88% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #34 of 142
56YarmouthCumberland County · 9,062 peopleAbetter than 87% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #8 of 142
57Old Orchard BeachYork County · 9,533 peopleAbetter than 87% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #89 of 142
58WestbrookCumberland County · 21,565 peopleAbetter than 86% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #78 of 142
59StandishCumberland County · 11,000 peopleAbetter than 85% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #35 of 142
60ChinaKennebec County · 4,636 peopleA−better than 85% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #17 of 142
61BucksportHancock County · 5,066 peopleA−better than 85% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #70 of 142
62PittsfieldSomerset County · 3,935 peopleA−better than 85% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #124 of 142
63MillinocketPenobscot County · 4,095 peopleA−better than 84% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #108 of 142
64FreeportCumberland County · 8,934 peopleA−better than 84% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #9 of 142
65EliotYork County · 7,643 peopleA−better than 84% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #11 of 142
66North BerwickYork County · 5,355 peopleA−better than 83% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #38 of 142
67MadisonSomerset County · 4,888 peopleA−better than 83% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #110 of 142
68Fort FairfieldAroostook County · 3,285 peopleA−better than 83% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #127 of 142
69JeffersonLincoln County · 2,728 peopleA−better than 82% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #65 of 142
70HollisYork County · 5,003 peopleA−better than 82% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #61 of 142
71WellsYork County · 12,094 peopleA−better than 82% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #32 of 142
72NorridgewockSomerset County · 3,304 peopleA−better than 82% of U.S. towns·Overall D− · #142 of 142
73HarrisonCumberland County · 2,639 peopleA−better than 82% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #136 of 142
74EllsworthHancock County · 8,862 peopleA−better than 81% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #75 of 142
75DexterPenobscot County · 3,874 peopleA−better than 81% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #113 of 142
76CorinthPenobscot County · 3,139 peopleA−better than 81% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #90 of 142
77LimerickYork County · 3,575 peopleA−better than 80% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #49 of 142
78TopshamSagadahoc County · 9,982 peopleA−better than 80% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #30 of 142
79BrewerPenobscot County · 9,636 peopleA−better than 80% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #101 of 142
80PittstonKennebec County · 3,418 peopleA−better than 79% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #92 of 142
81HampdenPenobscot County · 8,078 peopleA−better than 79% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #16 of 142
82WinslowKennebec County · 8,063 peopleA−better than 78% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #88 of 142
83TurnerAndroscoggin County · 6,127 peopleA−better than 78% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #42 of 142
84PolandAndroscoggin County · 6,098 peopleA−better than 78% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #118 of 142
85RaymondCumberland County · 4,670 peopleA−better than 78% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #5 of 142
86Livermore FallsAndroscoggin County · 3,229 peopleA−better than 77% of U.S. towns·Overall D− · #141 of 142
87BerwickYork County · 8,436 peopleA−better than 77% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #55 of 142
88LisbonAndroscoggin County · 9,919 peopleA−better than 77% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #62 of 142
89NewportPenobscot County · 3,192 peopleA−better than 76% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #120 of 142
90WinterportWaldo County · 3,838 peopleA−better than 76% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #21 of 142
91LimingtonYork County · 4,173 peopleB+better than 75% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #57 of 142
92BridgtonCumberland County · 5,965 peopleB+better than 75% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #116 of 142
93WiltonFranklin County · 3,878 peopleB+better than 74% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #96 of 142
94ReadfieldKennebec County · 2,730 peopleB+better than 74% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #29 of 142
95Fort KentAroostook County · 4,151 peopleB+better than 72% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #59 of 142
96BelgradeKennebec County · 3,541 peopleB+better than 72% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #45 of 142
97ChelseaKennebec County · 2,848 peopleB+better than 71% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #51 of 142
98OrringtonPenobscot County · 3,912 peopleB+better than 71% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #56 of 142
99ScarboroughCumberland County · 24,547 peopleB+better than 71% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #12 of 142
100MonmouthKennebec County · 4,252 peopleB+better than 71% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #46 of 142
101WarrenKnox County · 5,099 peopleB+better than 70% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #81 of 142
102CaribouAroostook County · 7,321 peopleB+better than 70% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #83 of 142
103Presque IsleAroostook County · 8,694 peopleB+better than 70% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #125 of 142
104GrayCumberland County · 8,676 peopleB+better than 69% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #60 of 142
105BowdoinhamSagadahoc County · 3,210 peopleB+better than 69% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #80 of 142
106Dover-FoxcroftPiscataquis County · 4,463 peopleB+better than 68% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #74 of 142
107CumberlandCumberland County · 8,876 peopleBbetter than 65% of U.S. towns·Overall A+ · #1 of 142
108GreeneAndroscoggin County · 4,551 peopleBbetter than 63% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #117 of 142
109ClintonKennebec County · 3,378 peopleBbetter than 62% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #72 of 142
110FalmouthCumberland County · 12,982 peopleBbetter than 62% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #4 of 142
111BentonKennebec County · 2,821 peopleBbetter than 62% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #103 of 142
112CascoCumberland County · 3,779 peopleBbetter than 61% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #106 of 142
113MilfordPenobscot County · 3,117 peopleBbetter than 61% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #79 of 142
114OxfordOxford County · 4,449 peopleBbetter than 61% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #132 of 142
115LincolnPenobscot County · 4,971 peopleBbetter than 60% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #69 of 142
116Mechanic FallsAndroscoggin County · 3,286 peopleBbetter than 60% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #100 of 142
117North YarmouthCumberland County · 4,424 peopleBbetter than 60% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #15 of 142
118DurhamAndroscoggin County · 4,399 peopleBbetter than 59% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #50 of 142
119South PortlandCumberland County · 27,007 peopleBbetter than 58% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #52 of 142
120NaplesCumberland County · 4,128 peopleBbetter than 58% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #107 of 142
121SidneyKennebec County · 4,929 peopleBbetter than 56% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #95 of 142
122FarmingdaleKennebec County · 3,000 peopleBbetter than 56% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #93 of 142
123MadawaskaAroostook County · 3,846 peopleBbetter than 56% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #76 of 142
124WindhamCumberland County · 19,912 peopleB−better than 53% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #6 of 142
125JayFranklin County · 4,639 peopleB−better than 52% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #87 of 142
126OaklandKennebec County · 6,361 peopleB−better than 51% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #33 of 142
127ActonYork County · 2,735 peopleB−better than 50% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #68 of 142
128WindsorKennebec County · 2,758 peopleB−better than 47% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #67 of 142
129SabattusAndroscoggin County · 5,397 peopleB−better than 47% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #58 of 142
130LitchfieldKennebec County · 3,797 peopleB−better than 46% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #91 of 142
131ShapleighYork County · 3,025 peopleB−better than 45% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #53 of 142
132HermonPenobscot County · 6,982 peopleC+better than 44% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #84 of 142
133LymanYork County · 4,713 peopleC+better than 41% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #44 of 142
134CarmelPenobscot County · 3,031 peopleC+better than 41% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #111 of 142
135WaterboroYork County · 8,219 peopleC+better than 38% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #39 of 142
T136ArundelYork County · 4,596 peopleC+better than 37% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #23 of 142
T136West GardinerKennebec County · 3,678 peopleC+better than 37% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #71 of 142
138LevantPenobscot County · 3,289 peopleCbetter than 33% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #130 of 142
139GlenburnPenobscot County · 4,825 peopleCbetter than 32% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #77 of 142
140MexicoOxford County · 2,779 peopleCbetter than 30% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #131 of 142
141BowdoinSagadahoc County · 3,254 peopleCbetter than 30% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #41 of 142
142HoldenPenobscot County · 3,438 peopleCbetter than 25% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #37 of 142
143MinotAndroscoggin County · 2,866 peopleC−better than 20% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #97 of 142
Quick answers

Questions people ask

What is the most historic town in Maine?

Hallowell (Kennebec County) ranks first on history among 143 towns, with an A+; Portland and Bath follow.

How are these towns ranked?

The History grade, a character grade (not part of the overall): the town’s founding era, homes built before 1940 (Census ACS) and its National Register places. Towns are sorted on the grade’s score; the letter and rank are the same as on each town’s page. How grades work.

Why isn’t my town on this list?

The list covers towns of 2,500+ residents with a history grade (143 in Maine). Smaller towns have the grade on their page but no rank. Every town is on the Maine page.

Go deeper

More Maine lists

Every list ranks the same 2,500+ towns, so a town’s rank means the same thing on each.

All Maine rankings →
Best places to live142 towns · #1 CumberlandBest small towns121 towns · #1 CumberlandMost affordable towns143 towns · #1 MillinocketSafest towns78 towns · #1 RichmondTowns with the best schools142 towns · #1 Cape ElizabethHealthiest towns143 towns · #1 Cape ElizabethBest towns for jobs & income143 towns · #1 CumberlandMost walkable towns143 towns · #1 PortlandTowns with the lowest natural-hazard risk143 towns · #1 BridgtonBest towns for the outdoors143 towns · #1 Bar HarborTowns with the most civic life143 towns · #1 CamdenTowns with the least snow141 towns · #1 BerwickDescribed, no lettersSnowiest towns141 towns · #1 CaribouDescribed, no lettersTowns with the mildest winters142 towns · #1 KitteryDescribed, no lettersTowns with the hottest summers142 towns · #1 South BerwickDescribed, no lettersTowns with the coolest summers142 towns · #1 St. GeorgeDescribed, no lettersTowns with the highest incomes143 towns · #1 CumberlandDescribed, no lettersTowns with the lowest property taxes143 towns · #1 CorinthDescribed, no lettersFastest-growing towns141 towns · #1 PittstonDescribed, no lettersTowns with the most-used libraries97 towns · #1 CamdenDescribed, no letters
Other states

Most historic towns in other states

ALAKAZARCACOCTDEFLGAHIIDILINIAKSKYLAMEMDMAMIMNMSMOMTNENVNHNJNMNYNCNDOHOKORPARISCSDTNTXUTVTVAWAWVWIWY