Bangor Approved Just 32 New Homes in 2025 as Peers Permitted Far More
Bangor approved far fewer homes per capita than Lewiston and other Maine cities in 2025, even as it faces a shortage of 700 affordable homes.
Bangor issued building permits for only 32 new housing units in 2025, or about one unit per 1,000 residents, according to state data reported by the Bangor Daily News. Lewiston, Maine's second-largest city, approved more than 180 units despite having roughly 6,000 more residents than Bangor, working out to about five units per 1,000 people. The comparison comes from a new statewide dataset, compiled through a state office and a regional planning group, that for the first time lets Maine communities be measured against each other on housing production. Smaller communities also outpaced Bangor: Hermon and Old Town approved 43 and 38 units, respectively, and Biddeford, which has about 10,000 fewer residents than Bangor, approved 220 units. City Councilor Michael Beck said Bangor "fell short" of the housing goals it set for 2025, adding that officials "recognize we've got a problem" and have formed an advisory committee to develop "actionable ideas" for increasing the city's housing stock. A separate Bangor-commissioned study found the city short about 700 homes affordable to households earning under $35,000 a year. Researchers cautioned the new data reflects only one year and may not show a lasting pattern.
This story was first reported by Bangor Daily News.
