Penobscot County, ME

County

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2024 Population

154,710

US Senator

Susan Collins

Republican Party

US Senator

Angus King

Independent Party

2024 Poverty Rate

14.1%

4.08% 1-year increase

2024 Median Household Income

$66,356

4.91% 1-year growth

2024 Median Property Value

$214,100

10.5% 1-year growth

2024 Employed Population

75,342

1.03% 1-year growth

About

None of the households in Penobscot County, ME reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

98.3% of the residents in Penobscot County, ME are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Penobscot County, ME are University of Maine (2,995 degrees awarded in 2023), Husson University (909 degrees), and Eastern Maine Community College (392 degrees).

In 2024, the median property value in Penobscot County, ME was $214,100, and the homeownership rate was 70.5%.

Most people in Penobscot County, ME drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 22.7 minutes. The average car ownership in Penobscot County, ME was 2 cars per household.

Penobscot County, ME borders Aroostook County, ME, Hancock County, ME, Piscataquis County, ME, Somerset County, ME, Waldo County, ME, and Washington County, ME.

About the photo: The older suspension bridge is in front of the new cable-stayed bridge across the Penobscot River. Taken from Fort Knox. Verona Island across the water.

Photo by lastonein

United States Maine Bangor, ME

Population & Diversity

Penobscot County, ME is home to a population of 155k people, from which 98.3% are citizens. As of 2024, 3.37% of Penobscot County, ME residents were born outside of the country (5.22k people).

In 2024, there were 40.7 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (141k people) in Penobscot County, ME than any other race or ethnicity. There were 3.46k Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic) and 1.73k Two Races Including Other (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

98.3%

2024 Citizenship

98.5%

2023 Citizenship

As of 2024, 98.3% of Penobscot County, ME residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.2%. In 2023, the percentage of US citizens in Penobscot County, ME was 98.5%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Penobscot County, ME compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Penobscot County, ME

White (Non-Hispanic)
141k ± 733
Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic)
3.46k ± 359
Two Races Including Other (Non-Hispanic)
1.73k ± 675

2.08%

Hispanic Population

3.22k people

2.08% of the people in Penobscot County, ME are hispanic (3.22k people).

The following chart shows the 8 races represented in Penobscot County, ME as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for Maine.

Most Common Origin

Canada
10,100 ± 2,458 people
China
2,593 ± 1,249 people
Other Africa, not specified
2,479 ± 1,221 people

In 2023, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Maine was Canada, the natal country of 10,100 Maine residents, followed by China with 2,593 and Other Africa, not specified with 2,479.

Foreign-Born Population

3.37%

2024 Foreign-Born Population

5.22k people

3.19%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

4.9k people

As of 2024, 3.37% of Penobscot County, ME residents (5.22k people) were born outside of the United States, which is approximately the same as the national average of 14%. In 2023, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Penobscot County, ME was 3.19%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Penobscot County, ME compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
3,325 ± 416
Gulf War (2001-)
2,388 ± 380
Gulf War (1990s)
1,338 ± 273

Penobscot County, ME has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.39 times greater than any other conflict.

The chart shows the distribution of veterans by conflict in Penobscot County, ME.

Economy

The economy of Penobscot County, ME employs 75.3k people. In 2024, the largest industries in Penobscot County, ME were Health Care & Social Assistance (16,319 people), Retail Trade (10,693 people), and Educational Services (9,812 people), and the highest paying industries were Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($152,500), Utilities ($87,691), and Wholesale Trade ($68,612).

Employment

Occupations

75.3k

2024 Value

± 2,148

1.03%

1 Year growth

± 3.96%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Penobscot County, ME grew at a rate of 1.03%, from 74.6k employees to 75.3k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Penobscot County, ME, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (9,388 people), Management Occupations (7,572 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (6,749 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Penobscot County, ME.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Maine.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Maine (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

Industries

Employment by Industries

75.3k

2024 Value

± 2,148

1.03%

1 Year growth

± 3.96%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Penobscot County, ME grew at a rate of 1.03%, from 74.6k employees to 75.3k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Penobscot County, ME, are Health Care & Social Assistance (16,319 people), Retail Trade (10,693 people), and Educational Services (9,812 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Penobscot County, ME, though some of these residents may live in Penobscot County, ME and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$48,847

Median earning men ± $1,640

$39,834

Median earning women ± $1,727

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2024 are Public Administration ($70,603), Wholesale Trade ($69,542), and Information ($67,596).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2024 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($59,063), Public Administration ($52,250), and Construction ($48,700).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Maine.

Y-Axis

1.54%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 627k people employed in Maine. This represents a 1.54% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 14.4%.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in Maine.

Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

360
Construction
251
Other Services (except Public Administration)
232
Health Care and Social Assistance

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

The visualization shows the number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$945k
Health Care and Social Assistance
$403k
Retail Trade
$236k
Construction

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

Civics

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Maine went to Kamala Harris with 52.4% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (45.5%), followed by Jill Stein (1.08%).

Susan Collins and Angus King are the senators currently representing the state of Maine. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

Maine is currently represented by 2 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

Voting results are not available for Penobscot County, ME. Showing the available data for Maine.

2024 Election Results

Kamala Harris (52.4%)
Democratic Party
Donald J. Trump (45.5%)
Republican Party
Jill Stein (1.08%)
Green Party

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Maine went to Kamala Harris with 52.4% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (45.5%), followed by Jill Stein (1.08%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Maine for each registered party from 1976 to 2024.

Senator Elections

US Senators from Maine

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for Maine.

Susan Collins

Senator from Maine

Assumed office on January 3, 1997

Angus King

Senator from Maine

Assumed office on January 3, 2013
Angus King of Maine and Bernie Sanders of Vermont join meetings of the Senate Democratic Caucus.

Susan Collins and Angus King are the senators currently representing Maine.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in Maine over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

Education

In 2023, universities in Penobscot County, ME awarded 4,431 degrees. The student population of Penobscot County, ME in 2023 is skewed towards women, with 8,149 male students and 9,795 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Penobscot County, ME are White (3,669 and 85.8%), Unknown (156 and 3.65%), Hispanic or Latino (132 and 3.09%), and Two or More Races (116 and 2.71%).

The largest universities in Penobscot County, ME by number of degrees awarded are University of Maine (2,995 and 67.6%), Husson University (909 and 20.5%), and Eastern Maine Community College (392 and 8.85%).

The most popular majors in Penobscot County, ME are General Business Administration & Management (314 and 7.09%), Registered Nursing (251 and 5.66%), and Management Science (174 and 3.93%).

The median tuition costs in Penobscot County, ME are $21,204 for private four year colleges, and $12,000 and $34,740 respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2023 in Penobscot County, ME, the percentage of applicants admitted was 94.3%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 15.7%. The number of students enrolled in 2023 was 17,944 (45.4% men and 54.6% women).

The line chart shows the evolution of the percentage of applicants admitted, admitted who enrolled or the number of students enrolled according to the option selected in the upper button.

Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2023 there were 17,944 students enrolled in Penobscot County, ME, 45.4% men and 54.6% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 14,106 records, of which 55.2% were women and 44.8% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

Registered Nursing
146 degrees awarded
General Psychology
125 degrees awarded
General Business Administration & Management
203 degrees awarded

In 2023, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Penobscot County, ME was Registered Nursing with 146 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Bachelors Degree from schools in Penobscot County, ME according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

University of Maine
2,995 degrees awarded
Husson University
909 degrees awarded
Eastern Maine Community College
392 degrees awarded

In 2023, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was University of Maine with 2,995 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2023, 1,908 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Penobscot County, ME, which is 0.756 times less than the 2,523 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2023, the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 3,669 degrees mean that there were 23.5 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Unknown, with 156 degrees awarded.

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Universities

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($21,204) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2023.

Public, 2-year ($997) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2023.

Public, 2-year ($1,400) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Penobscot County, ME was $214,100 in 2024, which is 0.644 times smaller than the national average of $332,700. Between 2023 and 2024 the median property value increased from $193,800 to $214,100, a 10.5% increase. The homeownership rate in Penobscot County, ME is 70.5%, which is higher than the national average of 65.2%.

People in Penobscot County, ME have an average commute time of 22.7 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Penobscot County, ME is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

In 2025, 12.4% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Penobscot County, ME. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 2.94%.

Housing

Property

$214,100

Median Property Value 2024

±$4,463

$46,010

Median Property Taxes

±$1,568

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Penobscot County, ME the largest share of households pay taxes in the $3k+ range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Penobscot County, ME compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

70.5%

Homeownership

2024

63.2%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2024

In 2024, 70.5% of the housing units in Penobscot County, ME were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 70.3%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Penobscot County, ME compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$66,356

Median Household Income

± $1,898

65.2k

Number of Households

± 1,937

In 2024, the median household income of the 65.2k households in Penobscot County, ME grew to $66,356 from the previous year's value of $63,248.

The following chart displays the households in Penobscot County, ME distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Penobscot County, ME is from Maine.

0.439

2023 Wage GINI in Maine

0.437

2022 Wage GINI in Maine

In 2023, the income inequality in Maine was 0.439 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.449% growth from 2022 to 2023, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat less even. The GINI for Maine was lower than than the national average of 0.476. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Maine in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in Maine across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2024

Drove Alone (75.6%)
Worked At Home (11.3%)
Carpooled (7.28%)

In 2024, 75.6% of workers in Penobscot County, ME drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (11.3%) and those who carpooled to work (7.28%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

22.7 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Penobscot County, ME have a shorter commute time (22.7 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.4 minutes). Additionally, 2.44% of the workforce in Penobscot County, ME have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Penobscot County, ME compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Penobscot County, ME distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Penobscot County, ME have 2 cars.

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2025, 12.4% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Penobscot County, ME. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 2.94%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the population living with severe housing problems.

Poverty & Diversity

14.1% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Penobscot County, ME (20.8k out of 147k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.5%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Males 18 - 24, followed by Females 18 - 24 and then Females 35 - 44.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Penobscot County, ME is White, followed by Two Or More and Hispanic.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Children in Poverty

In 2025, 13% of the children was living in poverty in Penobscot County, ME. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 8.6%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the children living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Security

Crimes & Accidents

Indicator

In 2022, the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population was 86.3 in Penobscot County, ME. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator grew 9.6 per 100,000 population.

The graph shows the trend in the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population.

Health

93.7% of the population of Penobscot County, ME has health coverage, with 45.2% on employee plans, 19.5% on Medicaid, 12.7% on Medicare, 13.8% on non-group plans, and 2.42% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Penobscot County, ME see 738 patients per year on average, which represents a 0% change from the previous year (738 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1139 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 150 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.7% were men and 50.3% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

738 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Penobscot County, ME

Primary care physicians in Penobscot County, ME see an average of 738 patients per year. This represents a 0% change from the previous year (738 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Penobscot County, ME in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2024, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 19.4% under 18 years, 21.5% between 18 and 34 years, 39.6% between 35 and 64 years, and 19.5% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.7% were men and 50.3% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

6.32%

Uninsured

45.2%

Employer Coverage

19.5%

Medicaid

12.7%

Medicare

13.8%

Non-Group

2.42%

Military or VA

Between 2023 and 2024, the percent of uninsured citizens in Penobscot County, ME declined by 12% from 7.18% to 6.32%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Penobscot County, ME changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2025, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was 53.7 in Penobscot County, ME.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Penobscot County, ME.

Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2025, the percentage of the adult population (age 18 and older) that reports a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2 (age-adjusted) was 38.8% in Penobscot County, ME.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Penobscot County, ME.