These Are The 10 Laziest Places In Maine

Discover the 10 Least Active Places in Maine for 2026

In any workplace, dealing with unproductive coworkers can be frustrating. You know the type: the individuals who delegate their responsibilities while still taking credit for collaborative efforts.

If you find yourself residing in one of these Maine towns, you might just recognize that lack of motivation staring back at you in the mirror.

This isn’t meant to be harsh; rather, it’s a reflection of how work ethics can be influenced by local culture. No one wants to partner with those who aren’t committed to their responsibilities.

On a recent Friday night, we dove deep into research to identify the towns in Maine where residents may be more inclined to lounge on social media rather than engage in productive work. Utilizing data from the latest American Community Survey, we identified various criteria that suggest a lower level of work engagement for each city.

After analyzing the data, here are the ten “Least Active Places in Maine” for 2026:

Continue reading to find out where the most disengaged residents call home, or skip ahead to discover how your town ranks.

Interestingly, Saco has emerged as the most industrious location in Maine.

How We Identified the Least Active Places in Maine

At Zippia, data drives our insights into complex questions. Some might even say we are the most dedicated researchers in the region.

For this analysis, we turned to the latest American Community Survey data to seek clarity. With the recent release of updated statistics, we were able to conduct a thorough examination of activity levels across Maine.

After reviewing a multitude of criteria, we focused on these specific metrics to identify the least active towns:

Lowest average hours worked
Shortest commute times
Fewest workers per household (calculated as the labor force divided by the number of households)
Highest unemployment rates
Lowest percentage of adults with a college degree

Our reasoning was straightforward: if a community exhibits low educational attainment, minimal work hours, and few contributors per household, it likely reflects a lack of motivation.

Using data from 19 Maine towns with populations over 5,000, we ranked each location from 1 to 19 based on the above criteria, with 1 representing the “least active.”

By averaging these rankings, we created a comprehensive index of inactivity. Ultimately, Waterville claimed the title of the “Least Active Place in Maine.”

Check out the detailed chart below to understand the rankings of each town.

1. Waterville

Population: 15,886 College Educated: 25.5%
Unemployment Rate: 16.4%

2. Lewiston

Population: 36,410 College Educated: 15.7%
Unemployment Rate: 10.2%

3. Augusta

Population: 18,898 College Educated: 23.2%
Unemployment Rate: 8.4%

4. Bath

Population: 8,396 College Educated: 31.0%
Unemployment Rate: 9.6%

5. Presque Isle

Population: 9,494 College Educated: 19.7%
Unemployment Rate: 5.2%

6. Caribou

Population: 8,025 College Educated: 19.2%
Unemployment Rate: 6.4%

7. Bangor

Population: 32,800 College Educated: 28.0%
Unemployment Rate: 8.1%

8. Belfast

Population: 6,664 College Educated: 40.0%
Unemployment Rate: 10.7%

9. Auburn

Population: 22,960 College Educated: 24.9%
Unemployment Rate: 8.6%

10. Westbrook

Population: 17,662 College Educated: 26.7%
Unemployment Rate: 8.2%

Understanding the Dynamics of Low Engagement

As mentioned earlier, determining the least active places in Maine can often be subjective. However, when you analyze municipalities where work engagement is low, educational attainment is lacking, and long hours are uncommon, this list provides a clear view of inactivity.

Detailed List of the Least Active Places in Maine

City	Rank	Population	College Educated	Unemployment Rate
Waterville	1	15,886	25.5%	16.4%
Lewiston	2	36,410	15.7%	10.2%
Augusta	3	18,898	23.2%	8.4%
Bath	4	8,396	31.0%	9.6%
Presque Isle	5	9,494	19.7%	5.2%
Caribou	6	8,025	19.2%	6.4%
Bangor	7	32,800	28.0%	8.1%
Belfast	8	6,664	40.0%	10.7%
Auburn	9	22,960	24.9%	8.6%
Westbrook	10	17,662	26.7%	8.2%
Old Town	11	7,756	26.8%	8.1%
Rockland	12	7,241	32.4%	4.3%
Biddeford	13	21,303	22.9%	6.3%
Ellsworth	14	7,804	31.1%	8.8%
Gardiner	15	5,737	20.2%	5.6%
Brewer	16	9,391	31.4%	6.4%
Portland	17	66,317	45.6%	6.9%
South Portland	18	25,154	40.2%	5.2%
Saco	19	18,757	31.2%	4.8%

Never miss an opportunity that’s right for you.

Author

Chris Kolmar

Chris Kolmar is a co-founder of Zippia and the editor-in-chief of the Zippia career advice blog. He has hired over 50 people in his career, been hired five times, and wants to help you land your next job. His research has been featured on the New York Times, Thrillist, VOX, The Atlantic, and a host of local news. More recently, he's been quoted on USA Today, BusinessInsider, and CNBC.

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