Houlton, Maine

Houlton
Nickname: 
Capital of Aroostook
Motto(s): 
Valuing the past, planning for the future
Location of Houlton, Maine
Houlton
Location in the state of Maine
Houlton
Houlton (the United States)
Coordinates: 46°7′32″N 67°50′23″W / 46.12556°N 67.83972°W / 46.12556; -67.83972
CountryUnited States
StateMaine
CountyAroostook
Settled1807
IncorporatedMarch 8, 1831
VillagesHoulton
Carys Mills
Area
  Total
36.73 sq mi (95.13 km2)
  Land36.71 sq mi (95.08 km2)
  Water0.02 sq mi (0.05 km2)
Elevation
390 ft (119 m)
Population
 (2020)
  Total
6,055
  Density165/sq mi (63.7/km2)
Time zoneUTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
  Summer (DST)UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP Codes
04730, 04761
Area code207
FIPS code23-33980
GNIS feature ID0582525
Websitewww.houlton-maine.com

Houlton is a town in and the county seat of Aroostook County, Maine, United States, on the Canada–United States border. As of the 2020 census, the town's population was 6,055. It is perhaps best known for being at the northern terminus of Interstate 95 and as the birthplace of Samantha Smith, a goodwill ambassador as a child during the Cold War. The town hosts the annual Houlton Agricultural Fair.

Its nickname is the "Shire Town". The Houlton High School sports teams are named "The Shiretowners". The Meduxnekeag River flows through the heart of the town, and the border with the Canadian province of New Brunswick is 3 mi (4.8 km) east of the town's center. Houlton was the home of Ricker College, which closed in 1978.

The primary settlement and center of the town is designated as a CDP with the same name. The headquarters of the federally recognized Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians is based here.