Street Scene, c. 1916
Rome’s story
222 years in pictures
Census counts: 585 in 1810, a low of 362 in 1970, 1,148 in 2020. The archive holds 4 old photos and papers going back to 1916 and 5 maps from 1894 on.
- 1804Rome is settled
Photo: Unknown photographer · Public domain
Population
1,184
2025 Census estimate · +3.3% since 2020
Typical home
$511K
+1.8% in a year
Household income
$78K
median
Median age
48.3
years
Jobs based here
107
A commuter town
Is Rome a good place to live?
The best of Rome’s subject grades is a B+ for schools; the weakest is a D for walkability. Only 1 of the 144 Maine towns we compare have a lower share of working residents who work in town than Rome. Rome’s average trip to work is 30 minutes, above both the Maine town median (25 minutes) and the median of U.S. towns (25 minutes). 17% of the land in Rome is conserved, above both the Maine town median (4.7%) and the median of U.S. towns (4.3%). The biggest place to walk is The Mountain, 243 acres with 2.7 miles of trail. Rome has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
WeakestDWalkability
What makes Rome stand out
Where Rome beats most towns.
A growing town
Rome has grown 17% since 2010
1,010 counted in 2010 and 1,148 in 2020; an estimated 1,184 in 2025.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
How Rome grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Maine), ordered by how far Rome is from typical.
WalkabilityEPA walkability 5.3 of 20; 0% of households have no car; 0% of workers walk, bike or ride transitDOpen →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 33% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listB+Open →SchoolsBeat 67% of Maine districts on tests and graduationB+Open →Jobs & income$78K median household incomeC+Open →HealthMainehealth Franklin Hospital 14.2 miles awayB−Open →Cost of livingB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
OutdoorsC+Open →History1 notable person born hereB−Open →Civic life3.4 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsB−Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Rome: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Rome, and how to reach them.
PowerCentral Maine Power27.4¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
Internet5 providers93% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpBelgrade Transfer Station and 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 hereRome Town ClerkThe town itself; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Oct 2026
ZIP codes04963, 0491704963 98% · 04917 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 Rome.
Work & commuteJobs & income grade C+
With 0.2 jobs for every working resident, most of Rome’s workers commute out
Most working residents leave Rome for work: only 2% work in town. Since 2013, Rome has added 73 jobs, to 107 in 2023. The top destinations are Augusta (21%), Readfield (7%) and Waterville (6%).
2%work in town
| Rome | Maine towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 10% | 9% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $78,000 | $78,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
In Rome2%
Augusta21%
Readfield7%
Waterville6%
Farmington5%
18 mi
median commute distance
107
jobs based in Rome
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
D
Walkability grade: more walkable than 9% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
HousingCost of living grade B−
A typical Rome home is worth about $511K
The typical Rome home is worth about $511,000, up 1.8% in a year, 24% above the Maine typical home. 92% of Rome households own their home.
$511KZillow home value
| Rome | Maine towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 92% | 81% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,150 a month | $1,106 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Rome$511K
Maine$412K
+1.8%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
16.9%conserved
16.9%
conserved · 3,414 of 20,171 acres
23 mi
of trails · 0.7 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. The Mountain | 2.7 mi | 243 |
| 2. Mount Phillip | 1.5 mi | 204 |
| 3. Blaiisdell | 1.1 mi | 133 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Climate
In Rome, expect snowy winters and pleasant summers
Rome has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. The July high in Rome is 79°F.
86″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter12–31°
Spring31–53°
Summer55–77°
Fall38–57°
Oct 10
typical first frost
May 2
typical last frost
+1.8°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade B+
Rome faces a low natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 67% of U.S. communities.
33risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingHurricanesIce storms
5
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Who lives here
Fewer young adults than Maine overall
Adults 18 to 34 are 16% of residents (20% statewide). Rome’s median age is 48.3 years. Rome has grown 3.3% since 2020, to 1,184 residents in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate.
48.3median age · ME 44.8
| Rome | Maine towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 48.3 years | 44.9 years | 40.5 years |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 39% | 32% | 29% |
RomeMaineUnited States
Ages · share of residents
18%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma7%
High school31%
Some college16%
Associate’s7%
Bachelor’s20%
Graduate20%
Women and men · all residents
50% women, 50% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±2.6 points. Across Maine, 50.7% of residents are women.
| Rome | ME | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 10.2% | 9.5% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 11.2% | 8.5% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 7.8% | 8% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 7.7% | 12% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 9.5% | 12.2% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 10.7% | 12.2% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 18.1% | 15.1% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 14.7% | 13.4% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 10% | 8.9% | 7% |
| No diploma | 6.9% | 5.2% | 10.4% |
| High school | 31% | 30.1% | 26% |
| Some college | 15.6% | 18.1% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 7.4% | 10.4% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 19.5% | 22.5% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 19.5% | 13.7% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 1,200, single groups can be off by several points
HealthB−
Rome ranks healthier than 53% of the country’s towns
Rome beats the Maine average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 0. 13% of adults binge drink in Rome.
53%healthier than U.S. townsB−Health Grade
| Rome | Maine towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 15% | 16% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 27% | 23% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 32% | 33% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 18% | 17% |
32 measures vs. Maine
1 better31 too close to call0 worse
| What stands out | Rome | ME |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 12.3% | 14.8% |
Mainehealth Franklin Hospital
14.2 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Nearby attractions
All 29 attractions →Sugarloaf and 8 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Rome. Close and well known come first.
40 mi Ski areaSugarloaf137 runs · 2,769 ft vertical
18 mi MuseumMaine State Museum
11 mi MuseumColby College Museum of Art36 mi Ski areaBlack Mountain of Maine29 runs · 1,227 ft vertical
15 mi MuseumL. C. Bates Museum
19 mi GardenViles ArboretumSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Sugarloaf: Bubblecuffer, Public domain · Maine State Museum: Stilfehler, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Colby College Museum of Art: Colby Mariam, CC BY-SA 4.0 · L. C. Bates Museum: W.A. Judge, Public domain · Viles Arboretum: eddie welker from Laurel, MD, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Rome
19pages on Rome
The big questions
Out and about
The story
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
4 within 15 miles of the center of Rome
Colby CollegeUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Waterville11.2 mi$69,600 tuitionKennebec Valley Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Fairfield14 mi$4,156 in-state tuitionUniversity of Maine at FarmingtonUniversity or college · Public · Farmington14.8 mi$11,308 in-state tuition
About 5 of every 100 Rome residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Maine.
Small town
1,184 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
SmithfieldBelgradeMount VernonViennaMercerNew SharonRome
About Rome
Town in Maine, United States
Rome is a town in Kennebec County, Maine, United States. The population was 1,148 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Belgrade Lakes resort area, and 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)
- Established
- 1804
- Area
- 32 sq mi
- Elevation
- 249 ft
- Area code
- 207
Questions about Rome
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Rome, ME expensive?
That is 7.4 years of the area's median household income ($69,077 across the Augusta-Waterville, ME area). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B−.