Miles is the 42-year-old manager of the Empire Grill in the economically depressed town of Empire Falls. He dropped out of college just one semester before graduation to care for his sick mother and never managed to leave his hometown. He lives a life defined by steady routine, working for a wealthy local family while quietly absorbing the complaints and demands of the town's residents. His primary motivation is providing stability for his teenage daughter following his separation from his wife.

Tick is a sensitive, highly intelligent high school sophomore trying to survive the social hierarchy of Empire Falls. She recently broke up with a popular but cruel football player, isolating herself from the school's upper echelon. Her parents' separation causes her significant anxiety, which often manifests in a loss of appetite and physical exhaustion. She finds solace in her art classes and dreams of a life outside her small town.

Janine is Miles's estranged wife, a woman completely consumed by her recent fifty-pound weight loss and impending second marriage. She views her past years with Miles as a waste of her youth and actively disparages his predictable routines. Her intense focus on physical reinvention and her new romantic life leaves her entirely blind to her teenage daughter's emotional needs.

Generally referred to as Mrs. Whiting, she is the wealthiest and most powerful resident of Empire Falls. She owns the Empire Grill along with numerous other local properties. Although born into a poor family, she thoroughly mastered the aristocratic behaviors of the Whiting family after her marriage and now exercises quiet, absolute control over the town's economy and its people.

David is Miles's younger brother, ten years his junior. He works as the main chef at the Empire Grill, utilizing skills he picked up during a brief stint in culinary school. He lost most of one arm in a drunk driving accident but has since maintained total sobriety. He is pragmatic, energetic, and constantly frustrated by his older brother's refusal to demand better compensation from their employer.

Max is Miles and David's father, a slovenly former housepainter who entirely shuns adult responsibilities. He refuses to hold a steady job, regularly asks his son for handouts, and boasts about his ability to survive without paying for anything. He spends his days loitering in local establishments and his winters attempting to hitchhike to Key West.

Grace is Miles and David's deceased mother. Following the closure of the local factories, she secured employment caring for the disabled Cindy Whiting, a job that slowly consumed her life and energy. She held a desperate, unyielding hope that Miles would leave Empire Falls, viewing his potential exit as the ultimate validation of her own sacrifices.

C. B. Whiting was Francine's husband and the last active manager of the Whiting family's industrial empire. A deeply dissatisfied man with unfulfilled artistic ambitions, he harbored immense resentment toward the townspeople and famously used explosives to reroute the Knox River away from his property. His life ended in suicide over two decades before the primary events of the story.

Cindy is the physically disabled daughter of Francine and C. B. Whiting. She was severely injured by a car during her childhood and walks with the aid of a cane, frequently dealing with chronic pain. Born on the exact same day as Miles in the same hospital, she carries a profound, unrequited emotional attachment to him that her mother quietly observes and manipulates.

Walt is Janine's new fiancé, a fitness club manager who insists everyone call him the "Silver Fox." He intentionally frequents the Empire Grill to assert his physical dominance and annoy Miles with pointless challenges. He projects an image of wealth and vitality, hiding the reality of his financial instability and actual age.

Zack is a popular, heavily muscled high school football player and Tick's ex-boyfriend. He operates through pure intimidation, treating the school halls as his personal kingdom. He reacts to Tick's rejection by escalating his cruelty toward students lower on the social ladder, specifically targeting the vulnerable John Voss.

Jimmy is a local police officer and Zack's father. Having grown up in Empire Falls alongside Miles, he harbors deep, violent resentments against anyone he perceives as looking down on him. He uses his badge to settle old scores, protect his son from the consequences of his actions, and run errands for the town's wealthy elite.

Father Mark is the relatively young priest assigned to the declining St. Catherine's parish. He views his parishioners with a tolerant, realistic eye, understanding their flaws without rushing to judgment. He frequently relies on Miles for practical help around the church and values his quiet friendship.

Father Tom is an elderly priest at St. Catherine's suffering from advanced dementia. He frequently escapes the rectory, makes highly inappropriate comments to visitors, and acts on sudden, confusing impulses that cause immense stress for Father Mark.

Bea is Janine's mother and the pragmatic owner of Callahan's tavern. She is grounded, highly observant, and entirely unimpressed by her daughter's physical transformations and new relationship. She understands the rhythms of small-town life perfectly and prefers the genuine flaws of her working-class customers over false pretensions.

John is a severely neglected, deeply impoverished high school student who reportedly lives alone with his grandmother. He endures relentless physical and emotional abuse from Zack Minty with an unnerving, absolute silence. Hoping to offer him a safe haven, Miles hires him as a busboy at the Empire Grill, where he works diligently but remains entirely closed off.

Charlene is a veteran waitress at the Empire Grill and the long-time object of Miles's affection. She is acutely aware of her own aging process and refuses to pretend otherwise. While she deeply respects Miles's steady decency, she openly admits her romantic preference for reckless men who live dangerously.

Horace is a seasoned reporter for the Empire Gazette. He spends a significant amount of his free time drinking in local establishments and observing the behavior of the town's residents. He acts as a quiet conduit of information, occasionally sharing disturbing news he uncovers during his travels around the county.

Buster is the short-order cook at the Empire Grill. He regularly disappears on extensive alcohol benders, leaving the restaurant severely understaffed. Upon returning, he expresses intense guilt mixed with anger at Miles for being too lenient and allowing him to keep his job.

Candace is a high school student enrolled in art class due to her poor academic performance. She dates Justin Dibble and acts as an emissary for Zack Minty, attempting to convince Tick to rejoin their social circle. She is highly self-absorbed but occasionally reveals moments of vulnerability.

Justin is Zack Minty's loyal sidekick and Candace's boyfriend. He functions entirely as an extension of Zack's will, driving the getaway car and providing an audience for Zack's cruel pranks. He lacks the independent thought required to question his friend's increasingly dangerous behavior.

Principal Meyer manages the local high school and is a former classmate of Miles Roby. He attempts to maintain order in the school with basic decency, occasionally violating administrative rules to investigate the dangerous home lives of his most vulnerable students. He recognizes the escalating danger surrounding John Voss but struggles to prevent it.

Bill Taylor is the calm, soft-spoken host of a television painting program. He paints landscapes efficiently within an hour-long format, demonstrating a profound lack of anxiety regarding mistakes. He serves as an artistic and psychological idol for Tick, who wishes she possessed his easy confidence.

Donny is a teenager from Indiana whom Tick befriends during her annual summer vacation on Martha's Vineyard. He provides a sharp contrast to the arrogant, cruel boys in Empire Falls, treating Tick with genuine respect and establishing a correspondence with her once she returns home.