Will Maine need roughly 84,000 more housing units by 2030? | Fact brief

Maine needs 76,400 to 84,300 more homes by 2030 if current trends continue, according to an oft-cited 2023 report compiled by HR&A Advisors for the Maine State Housing Authority. 

That combines the 2023 shortfall of about 38,500 units with another estimated 37,900 to 45,800 units needed to accommodate population changes, smaller household sizes and pent-up demand.

A 2025 housing “roadmap” by HR&A says restrictive zoning, slow permitting and a shortage of construction workers are driving underproduction. The roadmap notes that rising costs and limited infrastructure also make new housing harder to build.

The Maine Legislature has since passed a law easing some local zoning limits to encourage more housing development.

The Maine Development Foundation’s 2025 Measures of Growth report also highlighted worsening affordability, finding that home prices have risen far faster than incomes, leaving 64% of Maine households unable to afford a median-priced home.