For Boards who believe land is a legacy.
Nonprofits and mission-driven organizations hold some of the most strategic land in Downeast Maine. We help you put it to work — creating workforce housing that serves your community and strengthens your organization's long-term mission.
A Board's guide to the Downeast Maine housing crisis.
Know Your Community
Understand the real income levels, family sizes, and housing cost burdens facing the people your organization serves.
Act on the Need
Workforce housing is the defining community infrastructure challenge of our time in Downeast Maine.
Partner with FMD
Your land becomes a lasting community asset — workforce housing built for Mainers, with your organization retaining an ownership stake.
These are the people who make Downeast Maine work.
Nurses, teachers, cooks, tradespeople — the essential workforce of Hancock and Washington counties. They earn too much for subsidized housing and too little to afford market-rate rents or homeownership on Mount Desert Island.
The 2025 MDI & Acadia Region Housing Study documents that 7,144 workers commute into the region daily because they cannot afford to live here. Food preparation, sales, and healthcare workers represent the largest net-commuter occupations — and rising housing costs risk losing them entirely to markets like Bangor where the cost of commuting eventually outweighs the benefit of staying.
Nine faces of the Downeast workforce.
Income figures based on Maine Department of Labor wage data and U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey estimates for Hancock County.
What housing actually costs in Downeast Maine.
The gap between what workers earn and what housing costs has become a community-wide crisis. The 2025 MDI & Acadia Region Housing Study — commissioned by MDI Housing Solutions and The Musson Group — documents in precise detail how limited supply, seasonal conversions, and rising demand have made the region unaffordable to most of its own workforce.
Source: Mount Desert Island & Acadia Region Housing Study, RKG Associates / The Musson Group, March 2025.
The 30% Rule
A household is considered cost-burdened when more than 30% of gross income goes to housing. The MDI region median household income is $64,178 — affording roughly $1,604/month in rent. Most market units start well above that.
"Most renter households in the MDI region earn below the regional median income."
The Ownership Gap
Median home prices in Bar Harbor reached $625,000 in 2023 — requiring $101/hr or $210,000+ annually to qualify for a mortgage. Since 2020, 80% or more of homes sold across MDI communities are unaffordable to median-income residents.
"93.5% of Bar Harbor households cannot afford the median home price."
The Rental Vacancy Crisis
Rental vacancy across Hancock County has fallen to just 1.8% (CoStar, Q4 2024). The average available rental on the open market is $1,800/month — affordable only to households earning $72,000 or more, above the county median.
"There are more seasonally vacant homes than year-round rental units in MDI."
Rental Market Costs
Affordable rent limits (max 30% of income) at each AMI band vs. current market rents in the Bar Harbor / MDI area. Green = first band where affordable limit meets or exceeds market rent.
| Unit Type | Market Rent | 80% AMI | 100% AMI | 120% AMI | 140% AMI | 160% AMI | 200% AMI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio / 1BR | $1,400–$1,800 | $1,085–$1,302 | $1,356–$1,628 | $1,627–$1,953 | $1,899–$2,278 | $2,170–$2,604 | $2,712–$3,255 |
| 2BR Apartment | $1,900–$2,400 | $1,302–$1,736 | $1,628–$2,170 | $1,953–$2,604 | $2,278–$3,038 | $2,604–$3,472 | $3,255–$4,340 |
| 3BR Unit | $2,400–$3,200 | $1,504–$2,006 | $1,880–$2,508 | $2,256–$3,009 | $2,632–$3,511 | $3,008–$4,013 | $3,760–$5,016 |
| 4BR / Family | $3,000–$4,000+ | $1,678–$2,238 | $2,098–$2,798 | $2,517–$3,357 | $2,937–$3,917 | $3,356–$4,476 | $4,195–$5,595 |
Market rents based on Redfin listings (Nov 2024) and CoStar Analytics. Affordable limits per HUD FY2024 income limits for Hancock County. MDI regional median income: $64,178 (ACS 2022, 7-community weighted average).
Required Subsidy by AMI Band
For units reserved at lower AMI bands, rents fall below market rate — creating a per-unit subsidy gap that must be covered by grants, tax credits, land contribution, or other public/nonprofit resources. The table below uses a 2BR apartment at a midpoint market rent of $2,150/mo.
| AMI Band | HH Income | Max Affordable Rent | Market Rent | Monthly Gap | Annual Subsidy / Unit | Subsidy Needed? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50% AMI | ~$40,000 | $1,000 | $2,150 | $1,150 | $13,800 | High subsidy required |
| 60% AMI | ~$48,000 | $1,200 | $2,150 | $950 | $11,400 | High subsidy required |
| 80% AMI | ~$64,000 | $1,600 | $2,150 | $550 | $6,600 | Moderate subsidy required |
| 100% AMI | ~$80,000 | $2,000 | $2,150 | $150 | $1,800 | Minimal subsidy needed |
| 120% AMI | ~$96,000 | $2,400 | $2,150 | — | — | No subsidy — market viable |
| 140% AMI | ~$112,000 | $2,800 | $2,150 | — | — | No subsidy — market viable |
Illustrative figures based on HUD FY2024 Hancock County income limits and current MDI market rents. Actual subsidy requirements vary with unit mix, financing structure, and land contribution.
A note on homeownership
According to Maine Housing's 2023 affordability estimates, homeownership is out of reach for the vast majority of MDI residents. In Bar Harbor, 93.5% of households cannot afford the $625,000 median home price. Across all seven MDI communities, 80–95% of residents are priced out of today's market. Since 2020, more than 80% of homes sold across the region are unaffordable to the median-income resident. This is why rental housing is the critical near-term solution.
Understanding Area Median Income (AMI)
The MDI region's weighted median household income is $64,178 (ACS 2022). HUD sets the AMI for Hancock County at approximately $80,000 for a family of four. Most renter households earn below the regional median, while most owner households — especially recent buyers — earn well above it. The 2025 Housing Study found households earning over $100,000 are the fastest-growing segment in the region, as lower-income households are priced out entirely.
Hamilton Station — 54 workforce units in Bar Harbor.
Flying Mountain Developers has partnered with the YWCA of Mount Desert Island to develop Hamilton Station — transforming underutilized YWCA land on Route 3 into up to 54 units of workforce rental housing. The YWCA contributes land as equity, FMD provides all developer services, and the YWCA retains ongoing ownership in the completed project.
With a high-yield well confirmed, environmental clearance received, civil engineering completed, and subdivision application filed — Hamilton Station is the most advanced workforce housing project on Mount Desert Island.
View the Full ProjectStart a Conversation
Does your organization hold land that could serve your community?
We'd welcome a conversation with your Board. No commitment, no pressure — just an honest look at what's possible for your property and your mission.
Reach Out to FMD