COUNTY
Penobscot County
Maine · 157,967 residents (2025 est.) · 3,397 sq mi
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Part of the Bangor metro area
The short version
Penobscot County is a county of 154,710 people in Maine. 3% of locals were born outside the United States. At a median age of 42.5, this is an older place than the country as a whole. Home values have more than doubled since 2000, reaching $214,100. Density works out to 46 people per square mile. 30% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
At a glance
Lower income
median household income $66,356, below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 42.5
US median: 38.9
Less educated
30% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 52%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Unique to this place
What stands out about Penobscot County
What changed most since 1990
- White share97.5% → 91.1% (−6.4 pts)US over the same years: −17.8 pts
- Median home value (2024 dollars)$165,365 → $214,100 (+29%)US over the same years: +67%
- Median age32.6 → 42.5 (+9.9 years)US over the same years: +6.0 years
Among the 16 counties in Maine
- 10th in household income$66,356
- 10th in share with a bachelor's degree30.1%
- 11th in home value$214,100
- 5th in diversity score20.8
Section 01
Population & growth
154,710
+7%since 2000
from 144,919 in 2000
157,967 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
Land area
3,397 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
2024155K
Age distribution, 2024
Under 54.3%(6,581)
5 to 95.3%(8,174)
10 to 144.7%(7,215)
15 to 196.8%(10,586)
20 to 246.9%(10,622)
25 to 3412.7%(19,586)
35 to 4412.3%(18,988)
45 to 5412.2%(18,913)
55 to 6414.8%(22,957)
65 to 7412.2%(18,859)
75 to 845.6%(8,703)
85 and over2.3%(3,526)
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy
$66,356
+6%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $34,274 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Households earning $100K+
43.8%
+21.5 ptssince 2009
from 22.4% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Workforce by industry, 2024
Information14.2%
Wholesale trade8%
Retail trade4.7%
Finance & insurance4.7%
Other services4.7%
Public administration3.7%
Professional, scientific, technical3.6%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing1.6%
Transportation & warehousing1.6%
Construction1.6%
Education & health services1.1%
Arts, entertainment, food1%
Manufacturing0%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03
Housing
$214,100
+52%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $77,400 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
3.2
+8%since 2009
from 3.0 in 2009
1990 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
53
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity
2000
White, non-Hispanic96.2%(139,461)
Black0.5%(684)
Hispanic / Latino0.6%(882)
Asian0.7%(1,003)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic91.1%(141,000)
Black1.1%(1,704)
Hispanic / Latino2.1%(3,223)
Asian1.1%(1,641)
Other4.6%(7,142)
21
+86%since 2009
from 11 in 2009
1990 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
27
−14%since 2020
from 31 in 2020
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry
Hispanic origin
Mexican0.8%(1,309)
Puerto Rican0.4%(612)
South American0.3%(539)
Spaniard0.2%(268)
Colombian0.1%(197)
Peruvian0.1%(145)
Cuban0.1%(116)
Central American0.1%(89)
Dominican0%(61)
Bolivian0%(53)
Honduran0%(45)
Ecuadorian0%(44)
+ 7 more hispanic origin groups with data
Argentine0%(38)
Venezuelan0%(30)
Salvadoran0%(28)
Uruguayan0%(28)
Costa Rican0%(9)
Guatemalan0%(7)
Chilean0%(4)
Asian origin
Chinese0.4%(561)
Filipino0.3%(421)
Asian Indian0.1%(186)
Vietnamese0.1%(152)
Korean0.1%(128)
Burmese0%(36)
Sri Lankan0%(33)
Japanese0%(32)
Cambodian0%(29)
Thai0%(21)
Taiwanese0%(16)
Hmong0%(14)
+ 4 more asian origin groups with data
Ancestry
English21.2%(32,869)
Irish15.4%(23,848)
French11.4%(17,591)
American8%(12,454)
German6.5%(10,026)
Italian4.8%(7,379)
French Canadian4.7%(7,300)
Scottish4.2%(6,523)
Polish2%(3,162)
Scotch-Irish1.6%(2,443)
Swedish1.2%(1,849)
Welsh0.6%(984)
+ 42 more ancestry groups with data
British0.6%(900)
Canadian0.6%(885)
Norwegian0.6%(856)
Portuguese0.5%(818)
Dutch0.5%(813)
Russian0.4%(689)
Subsaharan African0.4%(664)
Arab0.4%(560)
Lithuanian0.3%(536)
Lebanese0.3%(455)
Greek0.3%(450)
West Indian0.3%(407)
Jamaican0.2%(355)
Ukrainian0.2%(316)
Danish0.2%(293)
Hungarian0.2%(281)
Czech0.2%(260)
Finnish0.1%(207)
Nigerian0.1%(202)
Brazilian0.1%(119)
Austrian0.1%(117)
Slovak0.1%(108)
Iranian0.1%(101)
Swiss0.1%(94)
Armenian0.1%(85)
Romanian0%(61)
Serbian0%(59)
Somali0%(55)
Haitian0%(55)
Australian0%(53)
Belgian0%(35)
Turkish0%(28)
Trinidadian & Tobagonian0%(20)
Latvian0%(19)
Moroccan0%(17)
Syrian0%(16)
Ethiopian0%(14)
Egyptian0%(13)
Guyanese0%(12)
Iraqi0%(8)
Slovene0%(8)
Cape Verdean0%(8)
Section 05
Education
High school or higher
94.8%
+9.1 ptssince 2000
from 85.7% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Section 06
Commute & transportation
Section 07
Work & employment
Women 20-64 in the labor force
74.1%
−0.1 ptssince 2020
from 74.2% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
Section 08
People & community
Computer in household
94.7%
+3.3 ptssince 2020
from 91.4% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married35.6%(23,321)
Married49.6%(32,478)
Widowed3%(1,948)
Divorced11.8%(7,752)
Women 15+
Never married27.7%(18,653)
Married47.6%(31,994)
Widowed9.3%(6,259)
Divorced15.4%(10,335)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage
Direct-purchase
13.9%
−1.2 ptssince 2020
from 15.1% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
VA health care
3.5%
+0.1 ptssince 2020
from 3.4% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
66.8%
−1.9 ptssince 2020
from 68.7% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
41.8%
+3.3 ptssince 2020
from 38.5% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans
Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later)24.3%(2,388)
Gulf War (1990s)26.2%(2,566)
Vietnam era35.6%(3,495)
Korean War3.6%(355)
World War II1.7%(171)
Share of the 9,808 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Over time
Penobscot County, decade by decade
| Year | Population | Median household income | Median home value | Bachelor's degree+ | Diversity score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 146,601 | $63,916 | $165,365 | 17.7% | 6.2 |
| 2000 | 144,919 | $62,435 | $140,996 | 20.3% | 9.2 |
| 2010 | 153,923 | $61,367 | $192,193 | 23.3% | 12.9 |
| 2020 | 152,199 | $63,181 | $179,745 | 28.6% | 21.5 |
| 2024 | 154,710 | $66,356 | $214,100 | 30.1% | 20.8 |
Census years come from the decennial census and the latest year from the American Community Survey, so part of any change between those two rows can reflect the different surveys. Dollar figures are adjusted for inflation to 2024 dollars; a figure ending in "+" was at the Census Bureau's reporting cap that year. The diversity score runs from 0 to 100; see how it's calculated.
Drill deeper
Places similar to Penobscot County
Berrien County
Pop 152,444
Warren County
Pop 149,375
Monroe County
Pop 143,345
Rock Island County
Pop 141,869
Places similar to Penobscot CountyHead to head
Compare Penobscot County to nearby counties
PENOBSCOT COUNTY VS
Piscataquis County
Income$61,345−8%
Home value$170,200−21%
Population17,409−89%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
PENOBSCOT COUNTY VS
Washington County
Income$56,024−16%
Home value$161,800−24%
Population31,334−80%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
PENOBSCOT COUNTY VS
Hancock County
Income$72,744+10%
Home value$310,400+45%
Population57,171−64%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
PENOBSCOT COUNTY VS
Somerset County
Income$58,179−12%
Home value$166,900−22%
Population51,620−67%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Penobscot County, Maine?
Penobscot County, Maine has about 154,710 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Penobscot County, Maine?
The typical household in Penobscot County, Maine earns about $66,356 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Penobscot County, Maine expensive?
In Penobscot County, Maine, the median home is worth about $214,100, and the typical rent is about $1,041 a month.
How educated are people in Penobscot County, Maine?
About 30.1% of adults age 25 and over in Penobscot County, Maine hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Penobscot County, Maine?
About 14.1% of people in Penobscot County, Maine live below the federal poverty line.
Has Penobscot County, Maine grown since 1990?
Yes, Penobscot County, Maine has grown since 1990. The population has added about 8,109 residents, a change of about 6 percent over that period.
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All counties in MaineDATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024