FARMINGTON — A new $9.5 million housing community for residents ages 55 and older officially opened this week, addressing a growing demand for affordable living in rural Maine.

Avesta Housing held a ribbon-cutting ceremony Wednesday, Feb. 25, to mark the opening of Edgewater Village at 126 Willow Springs Drive, off Routes 4/27. It’s Avesta’s first development in Farmington.

“There is a growing need for safe, quality, affordable homes for older adults in rural communities in Maine, fueled partly by a higher than average amount of older housing stock and a high percentage of individuals ages 55 and older,” Communications Manager Rod Harmon said. “This was the case in Farmington.”