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Bangor, ME

Everyday life
Shops, cafes, and daily routines
Hobbies & activities
Trails, parks, and pastimes
Nearby scenery
Lakes, overlooks, and drives

Photos and reviews come from Google Maps and show single places, not the whole area. Reviews are the most relevant ones Google returns for each place. We show the longest highly rated review under 400 characters and, when there is one, the longest low-rated review. Google doesn't verify reviews but removes fake ones when it finds them.

Around Bangor

Photo of Bangor
Bangor, Maine
Bangor, Maine · Photo: Quintin Soloviev, CC BY 4.0
Bangor Public Library Main Entrance
Bangor Public Library Main Entrance · Photo: SarekOfVulcan, CC BY-SA 4.0
Bangor International Airport
Bangor International Airport · Photo: Quintin Soloviev, CC BY 4.0
Bangor–Brewer Railroad Bridge
Bangor–Brewer Railroad Bridge · Photo: Quintin Soloviev, CC BY 4.0
Blake House
Blake House · Photo: Jim Roberts, CC BY-SA 4.0
Lower Main Street, Bangor, Maine
Lower Main Street, Bangor, Maine · Photo: Skoopy, Public domain
Norumbega Parkway, Bangor Maine, image
Norumbega Parkway, Bangor Maine, image · Photo: DrStew82, CC BY-SA 4.0
Stephenking house
Stephenking house · Photo: Julia Ess, CC BY-SA 3.0
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Where it is
Bangor
Bangor in Maine
Maine in the U.S.
State outlines: U.S. Census Bureau.

What's nearby

Within 5 miles of the center of the Bangor area.

11
grocery stores
69
restaurants
11
coffee shops
68
parks
18
playgrounds
8
libraries
2
movie theaters
2
live theaters
8
museums
10
bookstores
3
gyms
6
bars
7
pharmacies
4
hospitals

Counts from OpenStreetMap, a volunteer map, so small or new places can be missing. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Biking and trails

Within 5 miles of the center of the Bangor area.

Bike lanes and bike paths
4.7 miles
about typical for a U.S. town
Walking and hiking trails
83 miles
more than most U.S. towns

Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors. Counts depend on how well local volunteers have mapped the area, so treat them as a rough guide.

What rent costs

Of about 18,138 rented homes in the Bangor area, 96% rent for under $2,000 a month and 100% for under $3,000.

Under $1,000: 50%
$1,000 to $1,499: 38%
$1,500 to $1,999: 8%
$2,000 to $2,499: 2%
$2,500 to $2,999: 1%
$3,000 or more: 0%

Census American Community Survey 2019 to 2023 (table B25063). Gross rent includes utilities the renter pays. Today's asking rents for open apartments usually run higher.

What moving costs

Hiring movers

Average cost: $1,946

From a 2025 survey of 1,000 people who hired movers. This Old House. Your quote depends on your stuff, stairs and the time of year.

Moving in as a renter

The middle rented home in the Bangor area rents for under $1,000 a month. First month plus a one-month deposit comes to about under $2,000 before you get the keys.

Estimate from Census rent data (2019 to 2023, rent plus tenant-paid utilities). Deposits and fees vary by landlord and state law.

Your first weeks in Maine

  • Forward your mail: USPS change of address. It costs about $1 online to confirm who you are.
  • Switch your driver's license and car registration. Each state sets its own deadline, often somewhere between 10 days and a few months after you move. Find the Maine DMV.
  • Register to vote at your new address: Maine voter registration.
  • Set up power, gas, water and trash. Some cities bill water and trash together, and some ask new customers for a deposit.
  • Update your address with your bank, employer, insurance and the IRS (Form 8822 if you're not filing soon).
  • Find a doctor and dentist early. New-patient waits can be weeks, even in big cities.

Public schools

34 public school districts in this county, with about 21,100 students in all. Which one serves a home depends on its address.

Bangor Public Schools · Bangor
3,454 students · 12.3 students per teacher · 10 schools · grades Pre-K to 12
Rsu 22 · Hampden
2,278 students · 14.1 students per teacher · 7 schools · grades Pre-K to 12
Rsu 19 · Newport
1,931 students · 11.9 students per teacher · 5 schools · grades Pre-K to 12
Brewer Public Schools · Brewer
1,604 students · 13.4 students per teacher · 2 schools · grades Pre-K to 12
Rsu 34 · Old Town
1,434 students · 11.2 students per teacher · 5 schools · grades Pre-K to 12

NCES Common Core of Data 2022-23, National Center for Education Statistics. Varro doesn't rate or rank schools. For test results and programs, see each district's site and your state's school report card.

Childcare and colleges

Daycare and preschool

Maine keeps an official list of licensed childcare, with inspection reports and openings in many states. In a lot of towns, infant spots fill up months ahead, so it helps to get on waitlists before you move.

Search licensed childcare in Maine →
Link via childcare.gov (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services).

3 colleges in the county around Bangor. Prices are yearly tuition and fees for full-time undergrads, before financial aid.

University of Maine · Orono
Public, 4-year · 11,760 students · $12,606 in-state, $35,346 out-of-state
Husson University · Bangor
Private nonprofit, 4-year · 3,133 students · $22,194 a year
Eastern Maine Community College · Bangor
Public, 2-year (community college) · 2,531 students · $3,877 in-state, $6,757 out-of-state

Moving for school? Public colleges charge state residents much less, and community colleges often charge even less to people who live in their district. Most states want you to have lived there about 12 months, for reasons other than school, before you count as a resident for tuition. The rules differ by state, so check with the college's registrar.

IPEDS 2023-24, National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS). Degree-granting public and nonprofit schools with 100+ students. Varro doesn't rank colleges.

The facts behind it
Typical home value
$281,810
What a typical home sells for across the Bangor area.
Source: Zillow Home Value Index, August 2026
Cost of living
About 3% below the U.S. average
Everyday prices (rent, groceries, services) run about $97 here for what costs $100 nationally.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis price index 96.5 (U.S. = 100), 2024
Average commute
23 minutes one way
How long residents' trips to work take on average, counting every job and way of getting there. U.S. average: about 27 minutes.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
Homeowners insurance
About $1,335 a year
The statewide average for a typical policy in ME. Your own quote will depend on the home.
Source: Statewide estimate, 2026
Natural disaster risk
Relatively Low
FEMA's overall rating for the county, covering floods, storms, wildfire, earthquakes and more.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025
Hail risk
Relatively Low
FEMA's rating for hail damage in the county, compared with other U.S. counties.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025
Hospitals nearby
4 within 5 miles
Hospitals mapped within 5 miles of the center. Emergency and specialty care vary, so check which ones fit your needs.
Source: OpenStreetMap (ODbL)
Drug overdose deaths (county)
35.7 per 100,000 people a year
56 deaths in the 12 months ending March 2026. ME average: 25.8 per 100,000. U.S.: 19.9. Counts are by where people lived, and recent months may still be updated.
Source: CDC National Center for Health Statistics, provisional counts through March 2026; Census population estimates 2024
Median household income
$63,248
Half of households in the county earn more than this, half earn less.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
Property tax
1.26% of home value a year
About $1,260 a year for every $100,000 of home value.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
State income tax
Graduated, up to 9.15%
ME's state income tax. Some cities and counties add their own.
Source: 2026

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