Real Estate Investing in Waterboro, Maine (04030)

Everything the listing leaves out — vacancy, rent trend, cap rate, landlord climate. All free.

York County • Population: 2,795 • Data updated: September 2026

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Should you buy in 04030 (Waterboro, ME)? Our answer, based on the numbers below.

🏠 For Homebuyers
CAUTION
Grade D (52/100)

Proceed carefully. Weak appreciation or affordability makes this a harder case for most buyers.

📈 For Investors
MIXED
3.0 / 5 (47/100)

A middle-of-the-road market. Workable, but the best opportunities may be nearby ZIPs rather than this one.

⚠️ Risks to Know
1 flag
  • High vacancy: 21.4% of homes vacant — above national norms.

• Modeled rent — no observed market rent for this ZIP; the figure is estimated from HUD fair-market rent.

What’s happening in Waterboro, ME (04030)?

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3.0/ 5

Investability

Overall investment appeal

3.0/ 5

Appreciation

Long-term value growth

3.0/ 5

Cashflow ROI

Rental yield potential

Avg Home Value $429,993
Avg Monthly Rent $1,674
1% Rule ✗ Does Not Meet
Median Income $82,917
% Renters 16.0%

Market Analysis: 04030 Waterboro

ZIP 04030 inside York County looks affordable on the surface — median value of $430K — but the discount exists for reasons that a careful buyer should understand before committing.

Looking more closely, the numbers look inviting — $430K purchase price, 0.0% nominal cap — the work to hit that pro forma in 04030 is substantial and deserves full respect.

Statewide comparisons place 04030 among ME's softer markets. That context does not make the ZIP uninvestable, but it does raise the bar for due diligence.

Resident income in 04030 sits below the county median. That reality colors rent collection, vacancy, and reinvestment math in ways that outside investors often underestimate.

tilts toward the ZIP is not uninvestable, but it is unforgiving. Section 8 landlords, local operators, and specialized value-add funds are the investor types that tend to succeed.

Explore the Data — Click a Tab Below
🏦 Current 30-yr Fixed Mortgage Rate: 6.76% as of Sep 10 Source: Freddie Mac PMMS

Here's what matters if you're considering buying a home in Waterboro:

C+ Average
Buy Confidence Score: 62/100
Affordability
10/25
Appreciation
22/25
Stability
7/20
Timing
8/15
Rental backup
15/15
Affordability
Expensive
Homes cost 5.2× the median income
Value Trend
Stable (+2.8%)
How home values changed in the past year
Rental Backup
Strong
Could rent for $1,674/mo if you need to move
Market Conditions
BALANCED
Even conditions for buyers and sellers
Bottom Line: Mixed signals in this market. Research specific properties carefully and be prepared to negotiate.
⚖️
BALANCED MARKET
Portland-South Portland, ME Metro Area
Even conditions for buyers and sellers
35 days
Average time to sell
Average
10.2%
Listings with price cuts
Few Cuts
0.0%
Sale price vs asking
Below Ask
0.0%
Income needed for mortgage
Affordable
📅 Market conditions as of August 29, 2026 — updated weekly from Portland-South Portland, ME metro data

Market Trends

Home Value History (with trend line)

$453K$387K$321K$254K$188K$122KJan 2012May 2019Jul 2026

📊 How Does 04030 Compare?

Metric 04030 Waterboro Portland-South Portland, ME Maine
Home Value $429,993 $416,161 N/A $401,109
5-Year CAGR 5.8% 5.8% N/A 8.6%
Avg Rent $1,674 $1,620 N/A -
Cap Rate 3.0% 3.0% - -
💡 Why Invest in 04030? Click to expand

With a 3/5 investability rating, this ZIP shows solid fundamentals for buy-and-hold investors.

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Landlord Ground Truth

Real numbers from people who own or manage rentals in ZIP 04030 (Waterboro, ME). Anonymous, moderated, never written by AI.

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Investability
Good
Cap Rate
3.0%
Low
5yr Growth
+5.8%
Moderate

📊 Market Snapshot

Home Value $429,993
Monthly Rent $1,674
Price-to-Rent 21.4:1
1% Rule ✗ Fails

💰 Return Metrics

Gross Yield 4.7%
Cap Rate 3.0%
5-Year IRR 8.8%

📈 Home Appreciation

1-Year +2.8% ▲
3-Year CAGR +4.5% ▲
5-Year CAGR +5.8% ▲
10-Year CAGR +8.9% ▲

🏠 Rent Trends

1-Year N/A
3-Year CAGR N/A
5-Year CAGR N/A
Negative Leverage — IRR / Tax Play Cap Rate: 3.0%  |  30yr Rate: 6.8%
Leverage reduces cash returns at current rates.

The current 30-yr mortgage rate (6.8%) exceeds the estimated cap rate (3.0%). Financing reduces your cash-on-cash return below the cap rate. Markets like this may still make sense as IRR plays — factoring in appreciation, depreciation, and a future refinance when rates drop.

Run an IRR Analysis →

⚠️ Risk Signals

Composite view of factors that can impact a ZIP's stability and your downside risk.

Vacancy
21.4%
Elevated risk
Landlord Climate
4.0/5
Friendly
Value Trend (5yr)
+5.8%
Stable
Eviction process: Fast Rent control: Moderate

Demographics in 04030

Population: 2,795

💰 Median Household Income
$82,917
This area
$82,917
State
$66,371
USA
$74,580
🏠 Renter Occupied
16.0%
This area
16.0%
State
17.6%
USA
34.0%
💼 Unemployment Rate
1.0%
This area
1.0%
State
-23.6%
USA
3.7%
🎓 College Educated
30.6%
This area
30.6%
State
3.6%
USA
33.7%
👤 Median Age
34.6 years
This area
34.6 years
State
19.6 years
USA
38.9 years
🏚️ Vacancy Rate
21.4%
This area
21.4%
State
32.3%
USA
10.5%
👥 Population by Ethnicity
White 95.1%
Other/Mixed 2.8%
Black/African American 2.0%
Hispanic/Latino 1.2%
Asian 0.2%
👶 Under 18
21.0%
This area
21.0%
USA
22.0%
👴 65 and Over
15.4%
This area
15.4%
USA
17.3%
📊 Poverty Rate
0.0%
This area
0.0%
USA
11.5%

Crime & Safety

🚧

Crime & Safety Data Coming Soon

We're integrating comprehensive crime statistics including violent crime rates, property crime, and safety scores to help you make informed investment decisions.

Expected: Q1 2025

🎓 Schools in 04030

A Avg School Grade
2 Schools
11.6:1 Avg Class Size
$16,402 Avg Per Pupil

Schools in This ZIP Code

A Very Good

Massabesic Middle School

📚 06 – 08 Middle
👥
629 Students
👨‍🏫
11.4:1 Class Size
💰
$16,402 Per Student
A Very Good

Waterboro Elementary School

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
👥
530 Students
👨‍🏫
11.7:1 Class Size
💰
$16,402 Per Student
About Repit School Scores

Traditional school ratings rely heavily on standardized test scores, which often reflect family income more than school quality. Repit takes a different approach.

We evaluate schools based on factors that research shows actually impact educational outcomes:

  • Class Size — Smaller classes mean more individual attention
  • School Funding — Resources available for programs, staff, and facilities
  • Community Factors — Neighborhood characteristics that influence student success
  • School Environment — Size, type, and structure

Scores are updated annually using federal education data.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Waterboro in ME worth investing in?

Our data puts Waterboro, ME at 3.0/5 for investability. Home prices of $430K and rents around $1,674/mo create a solid backdrop for investor activity.

Do rentals sit vacant long in Waterboro, ME?

Expect elevated vacancy in Waterboro, ME. Rents at $1,674/mo are absorbed by the tenant base without meaningful lag.

What strategy should investors use in Waterboro, ME?

Investors usually favor careful cash-flow rentals with hands-on management in Waterboro, ME. With home values at $430K and rents near $1,674/mo, other strategies can work but produce predictable rather than outsized returns.

Are eviction rules reasonable in Waterboro, ME?

Waterboro, ME falls under ME landlord-tenant law, which is landlord-friendly. That backdrop makes day-to-day property management reasonable.

How do home values compare in Waterboro, ME?

In Waterboro, ME the median home value sits at $430K. Against the broader ME market, that reads as reasonable for most investors.

You know 04030 now. You don’t know where it ranks.

This page stays free — all of it. What one page can’t tell you is how 04030 compares to every other market. Investor ($19/mo) screens every U.S. ZIP by cap rate, the 1% rule, vacancy and landlord climate, and exports your shortlist.

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How 04030 ranks in Portland-South Portland, ME

Every ZIP in this metro, ranked. Free.

Cash Flow → Appreciation → Affordable →
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