More million-dollar homes, more toilets, fewer renters.

In a wide release of figures on everything housing-related down to the kitchen sink, the U.S. Census today offered a snapshot of Androscoggin and five other counties in Maine, comparing 2000 and 2005.

The numbers, still estimates for 2005, show home values up more than half and local rents up 40 percent.

Androscoggin County highlights over the past five years:

• 85 homes valued at $1 million or more, up from zero.

• 264 houses that didn’t have complete kitchens got them; 70 are still without.

• The number without complete plumbing dropped from 228 to 195.

• Median house values increased 56 percent to $140,500. Cumberland and York counties saw roughly 80 percent increases; half of homes there are valued at $220,000-plus.

Androscoggin County was the only one to show a decline in renter-occupied housing – a drop of 3,000 to about 12,000 – and parallel increase in owner-occupied housing – an increase of 3,000 to about 29,000.

“I think Lewiston-Auburn has become a hot area for single-family housing,” said spokesman Dan Simpson at the Maine State Housing Authority.

Added to that: From 2001 to 2005, Maine lost 2,800 rental units to fire or demolition; a good chunk, 450, were in L-A, he said.

There’s demand for more apartments but no one’s building them, said Gail Phoenix, Auburn community development coordinator. That could also be influencing more people to buy.

For the past two years, a Twin Cities program run under Phoenix has offered special terms to low-income households considering homeownership. In one recent purchase, a man bought a two-family home in Auburn for $146,000; he’ll pay the mortgage the first 10 years on just $100,000. After modest income from the other unit, the mortgage, taxes and insurance cost $650 a month – just over the median price of rent here.

“We’ve had more interest in the past three months than I can remember,” Phoenix said. She thinks it’s spreading by word of mouth.

Androscoggin had the lowest housing vacancy rate among Kennebec, Cumberland, Aroostook, Penobscot and York counties. Aroostook and York were nearly tied with 21 percent of housing stock empty.

Numbers released today represent a kick-off of sorts for the Census. Instead of a giant release of information every 10 years, the bureau plans to release more data every year, said survey statistician Bill Chapin. This first wave hit larger population centers; by year five, it will have information down to the smallest town and be updated every year.

Every county counted at least twice as many people without phones at home. Cumberland rocketed from 788 to 4,983. Chapin said the Census hasn’t been allowed to mention cell phones in its official questionnaire. That may be throwing people.