Penobscot County, Maine Demographics 2026

Name: Penobscot County, Maine Demographics
Creator: U.S. Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

Penobscot County, Maine has a population of 154,710, the 3rd most populous county in Maine. The median household income is $66,356 and the median home value is $214,100. The poverty rate is 14.1%.

Data vintage: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates · refreshed July 2026 · Methodology & source notes

Penobscot County Quick Facts

Population 154,710

Median Household Income $66,356

Median Home Value $214,100

Poverty Rate 14.1%

Unemployment Rate 3.6%

Median Age 42.5 years

Homeownership Rate 70.5%

Affordability Ratio 3.2x

Bachelor's Degree+ 30.1%

High School Graduation 94.8%

Cities/Places 17

Population 154,710 3rd of 16

Median Income $66,356 11% lower than state

Poverty Rate 14.1%

Unemployment 3.6%

How Penobscot County Changed

Change from the 2019–2023 ACS period to 2020–2024. These are rolling five-year estimates, not year-over-year measurements.

Metric	2019–2023	2020–2024	Change
Population	153,571	154,710	+0.7%
Median household income	$63,248	$66,356	+4.9%
Median home value	$193,800	$214,100	+10.5%

Median Household Income

Penobscot

$66,356

$74,733

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Penobscot

$214,100

$296,600

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 17.8%

$25K-$50K 20.2%

$50K-$100K 29.7%

$100K+ 32.3%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

5.1%

$10K-$15K

4.3%

$15K-$20K

3.8%

$20K-$25K

4.7%

$25K-$30K

4.1%

$30K-$35K

4.1%

$35K-$40K

4.2%

$40K-$45K

4.0%

$45K-$50K

3.8%

$50K-$60K

7.5%

$60K-$75K

10.7%

$75K-$100K

11.5%

$100K-$125K

9.6%

$125K-$150K

7.7%

$150K-$200K

7.7%

$200K+

7.3%

Employment

3.6% Unemployment Rate State: 3.8%|National: 5.2%

59.6% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 70.5%

Renter 29.5%

Affordability Index Affordable

3.2x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $1,041/mo 18.8% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

17.6%

18-34

23.0%

35-54

24.5%

55-74

27.0%

75+

7.9%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

Very Low Diversity

A less diverse community where one racial or ethnic group represents a large majority.

State average: 19 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in Penobscot County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Bangor	31,938	$59,942	17.9%	$219,600
Orono	11,151	$59,784	27.0%	$262,900
Brewer	9,652	$66,613	12.5%	$245,300
Old Town	7,470	$51,585	21.3%	$208,100
Hampden	5,161	$112,228	7.7%	$285,900
Millinocket	3,779	$50,445	18.7%	$99,800
Lincoln	2,954	$49,097	21.0%	$142,100
Milford	2,269	$85,052	0.0%	$154,900
Dexter	1,852	$53,654	17.7%	$138,200
Veazie	1,847	$78,229	7.5%	$293,100
Newport	1,730	$45,127	18.4%	$187,700
East Millinocket	1,495	$42,011	21.7%	$86,200
Howland	1,235	$53,250	28.0%	$152,100
Bradley	845	$62,813	7.7%	$168,900
Corinna	711	$51,000	16.2%	$138,000
Patten	607	$45,750	28.4%	$83,000
Mattawamkeag	436	$38,417	40.8%	$125,500

Explore Maine Rankings

Cities by Population All cities ranked by size Richest Cities Ranked by median income Most Educated By bachelor's degree rate Most Affordable By housing affordability

Population Overview

Penobscot County is located in Maine with a total population of 154,710. It is the 3rd most populous county out of 16 in Maine. The county encompasses 17 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Penobscot County is 42.5 years. This is 5% lower than the state median of 44.8 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Penobscot County is $66,356. This is 11% lower than the state median of $74,733. It is also 18% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 14.1%. This is 31% higher than the state poverty rate of 10.8%. The unemployment rate is 3.6%. This is 4% lower than the state rate of 3.8%. The median home value is $214,100. Housing costs are 28% lower than the state median of $296,600. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.2x. 70.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 5% lower than the state average of 74.3%.

Race & Ethnicity

Penobscot County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 91.1% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 2.1%.

Education

30.1% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 17% lower than the state rate of 36.2%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 94.8%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Penobscot County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against Maine and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of Penobscot County, Maine?

Penobscot County has a population of 154,710, making it the 3rd most populous county in Maine.

What is the median income in Penobscot County?

The median household income in Penobscot County is $66,356 with a poverty rate of 14.1%.

How many cities are in Penobscot County, Maine?

Penobscot County contains 17 Census-designated places.