Living in Androscoggin County, Maine means having choices in how you make your home. From a single-family on a tree-lined, urban street to a rural spread with room for a hobby farm; from a luxury loft in an historic textile mill to one of hundreds of newly built, workforce apartments, people have never had more options when it comes to settling down in these safe, diverse and convenient communities.

This rise in development is sorely needed. The population in this area is projected to grow by nearly 10,000 people over the next five years. With high demand, historically limited stock and fluctuating interest rates, people already living here or trying to make Maine their home have struggled in the past to find housing that meets their needs for price, location and quality.

But leaders in the Lewiston Auburn region are ready to increase available units, stabilize prices and attract new residents. They have taken control of what they can by changing zoning laws, streamlining the permitting process and finding partners to help them develop more affordable housing.

So, if you’re looking to settle down in one of Maine’s top-growing regions, here are a few ways you might find your perfect home in Androscoggin County, particularly around Lewiston and Auburn.

Market rate housing well below Maine’s median prices

In 2024 the Maine Association of Realtors® tracked the median sale price of an Androscoggin County home at $325,000. That’s 20% below the statewide price and arguably pushes the region into “hidden gem” territory: there are unique city cultures and gorgeous views, plus it’s home to the state’s manufacturing and distribution hub, as well as top-rated high schools, colleges and universities. It’s right between the pretty, but pricy, coastline and White Mountains, each 30 minutes to an hour’s drive away.

While average sale prices won’t likely come down, leaders in the region are doing what they can to stabilize them by increasing overall housing inventory. City officials in Lewiston and Auburn have been so proactive, they set building permit records in 2024. Over 3,500 were issued between the two cities, for a total valuation over $169 million covering new construction and renovations for residential, industrial and commercial properties.

Code and zoning changes now allow for more mixed-use properties or lot adjacency as well, while statewide changes now allow accessory dwelling units on all single-family lots (with local restrictions). In Auburn, at least 600 multifamily, duplex, ADU and single-family units have been added since 2018.

Now, more than 1,000 housing units are in the pipeline for the metro area. New, build-to-suit subdivisions have popped up, like Sanctuary Estates in Lewiston, Long Meadow Estates in Turner, Deer Creek Crossing and Bowie Hill in Durham, along with new growth at Colonial Ridge in Auburn. In downtown Lewiston, new builds with more than 300 apartments are going up by the riverfront, the DeWitt project will have over 100 mixed-income apartments and commercial space, and the historic Continental Mill is being redeveloped into 449 apartments—from workforce reserved to luxury—along with commercial space.

Central Maine is also an ideal place to retire, and people over 55 have access to certain developments and manufactured home communities across the region. In development in Lewiston is Gendron Active Living Estates, set on 11 acres a five-minute drive from downtown. It will have 208 rentals in nine buildings and feature a community garden, dog parks and green spaces.

Affordable housing has a whole new look

Lewiston was the smallest city in the country to receive a U.S. Housing and Urban Development Choice Neighborhood grant, $30 million that is being invested in public housing and attracting private investment to the historic Tree Streets neighborhood. New residents have already moved into the Wedgewood development.

Central Maine has also been developing a wider social safety net for residents that need help getting back on their feet and into a stable home. There are six emergency shelters between Auburn, Lewiston and Leeds, and public housing for people 55 and older or people with disabilities is found in nine cities and towns in the region. In addition to existing public housing units, Auburn may become home to a 30-unit “housing first” complex, to be built on land donated by the city. Plus, Kaydenz Kitchen and the soon to open Trinity Jubilee Center serve as day shelters and food pantries.

Continuing to build communities with character

With all this development, the years ahead will be an exciting time for the region, as major construction commitments create jobs, improve infrastructure and continue to make the region “home,” drawing in new residents and updating properties of current homeowners who plan to stay put.

If you’re looking for a new home in Maine, you’ll find something great in the Androscoggin Region, and at a price that will leave you options for how to spend the rest of your money.

Check out sunjournal.com/lametrochamber to see all the reasons why this region is the perfect place to call home, then visit discoverlamaine.com/housing for a contact list of local rental companies