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COUNTY

Somerset County

Maine · 51,620 residents (2025 est.) · 3,924 sq mi
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The short version

With 50,959 people, Somerset County is a county in Maine. The median age is 47.0, about 8 years above the US median. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 21% of adults. There are 13 people per square mile. The foreign-born share is 1%. 77% of homes are owner-occupied.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 47.0
US median: 38.9
Less educated
21% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 37%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
50,959
Unchangedsince 2000
from 50,888 in 2000
51,620 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
Population density
13 / sq mi
Unchangedsince 2009
from 13 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
47.0
+21%since 2000
from 38.9 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Land area
3,924 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
50K50K51K52K52K19902000201020202024Somerset County
202451K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 54.6%(2,354)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 94.9%(2,479)
US avg: 6%
10 to 145.4%(2,761)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 195.2%(2,664)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 244.7%(2,389)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3411.6%(5,902)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4411.2%(5,709)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5413.1%(6,689)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6416.3%(8,289)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 7414.1%(7,194)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 847.2%(3,689)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over1.6%(840)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$58,179
+4%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $30,731 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$34,433
+123%since 2000
from $15,474 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
38.8%
+21.5 ptssince 2009
from 17.4% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
14.2%
−0.8 ptssince 2000
from 14.9% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.447
+1%since 2010
from 0.443 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Information13.3%
US avg: 10.8%
Retail trade12.4%
US avg: 9.9%
Wholesale trade10%
US avg: 6.9%
Finance & insurance6%
US avg: 5.9%
Professional, scientific, technical4.8%
US avg: 5.1%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing3.2%
US avg: 1.6%
Construction2.9%
US avg: 1.2%
Other services2.8%
US avg: 6.7%
Public administration2%
US avg: 4.8%
Education & health services1.2%
US avg: 0.9%
Transportation & warehousing1.1%
US avg: 2.2%
Arts, entertainment, food1.1%
US avg: 1.9%
Manufacturing0.3%
US avg: 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$166,900
+37%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $67,000 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$910
+19%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $421 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
77.4%
−0.4 ptssince 2000
from 77.8% in 2000
22.6% rent
Vacancy rate
23.0%
−3.8 ptssince 2009
from 26.8% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Persons per household
2.16 people
−9%since 2009
from 2.38 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
Owner cost-burdened
22.2%
−1.9 ptssince 2009
from 24.1% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
39.1%
−4.9 ptssince 2009
from 44.0% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
2.9
+1%since 2009
from 2.8 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
48
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic97.7%(49,699)
Black0.2%(117)
Hispanic / Latino0.5%(234)
Asian0.3%(168)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic93.8%(47,820)
Black0.5%(249)
Hispanic / Latino1.5%(787)
Asian0.4%(192)
Other3.8%(1,911)
Diversity Score
15
+89%since 2009
from 8 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Segregation Score
21
−11%since 2020
from 23 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
Puerto Rican0.6%(281)
Mexican0.5%(250)
Spaniard0.1%(37)
Peruvian0.1%(32)
Cuban0.1%(28)
Salvadoran0.1%(27)
Asian origin
Chinese0.2%(90)
Filipino0.1%(69)
Thai0%(12)
Korean0%(6)
Pacific Islander origin
Samoan0%(2)
Ancestry
English21%(10,681)
Irish15.4%(7,826)
French11%(5,587)
American7.8%(3,974)
German6.9%(3,521)
French Canadian6.3%(3,216)
Scottish4.8%(2,437)
Italian3.7%(1,908)
Polish2.3%(1,150)
Swedish1%(532)
Canadian0.9%(472)
Scotch-Irish0.7%(359)
+ 31 more ancestry groups with data
Norwegian0.7%(343)
Portuguese0.6%(298)
Dutch0.6%(284)
British0.5%(249)
Welsh0.5%(243)
Arab0.4%(193)
Finnish0.3%(178)
Russian0.3%(159)
Lebanese0.2%(117)
Hungarian0.2%(114)
Ukrainian0.2%(107)
Danish0.2%(94)
Lithuanian0.2%(93)
Greek0.2%(92)
West Indian0.1%(75)
Slovak0.1%(72)
Austrian0.1%(60)
Australian0.1%(59)
Armenian0.1%(51)
Czech0.1%(39)
Syrian0.1%(38)
Jamaican0.1%(34)
Swiss0%(11)
Belgian0%(6)
Turkish0%(3)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
21.1%
+9.3 ptssince 2000
from 11.8% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
93.2%
+12.4 ptssince 2000
from 80.8% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
5.8%
+2.4 ptssince 2000
from 3.4% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
28.0 min
+57%since 2000
from 17.9 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
76.5%
−4.1 ptssince 2009
from 80.6% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
8.4%
−1.2 ptssince 2009
from 9.7% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.1%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 0.1% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
11.0%
+6.3 ptssince 2009
from 4.8% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
3.0%
−0.7 ptssince 2009
from 3.7% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.1%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 0.1% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
5.8%
−1.1 ptssince 2009
from 6.9% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
3.5%
−5.4 ptssince 2011
from 8.9% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
55.7%
−3.0 ptssince 2011
from 58.8% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
67.2%
−0.6 ptssince 2020
from 67.8% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
Self-employed
13.5%
−0.6 ptssince 2009
from 14.1% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
32.2%
+5.5 ptssince 2009
from 26.6% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
49.8%
+0.7 ptssince 2009
from 49.1% in 2009
Female
50.2%
−0.7 ptssince 2009
from 50.9% in 2009
Foreign born
1.5%
−0.5 ptssince 2009
from 2.0% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
10.7%
−3.6 ptssince 2009
from 14.2% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
19.4%
+0.6 ptssince 2012
from 18.8% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
7.5%
−4.7 ptssince 2013
from 12.2% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
86.3%
+16.1 ptssince 2017
from 70.2% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
93.0%
+5.3 ptssince 2020
from 87.7% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
Same house as last year
88.9%
+1.9 ptssince 2020
from 87.0% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
English only at home
97.8%
+0.9 ptssince 2016
from 96.8% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
0.5%
+0.2 ptssince 2016
from 0.2% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married29.8%(6,405)
Married54%(11,608)
Widowed3.1%(659)
Divorced13.2%(2,833)
Women 15+
Never married21.8%(4,765)
Married52%(11,359)
Widowed11.4%(2,485)
Divorced14.9%(3,251)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Uninsured
7.5%
−4.7 ptssince 2013
from 12.2% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
44.9%
+0.7 ptssince 2020
from 44.2% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
13.8%
+0.6 ptssince 2020
from 13.2% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
26.6%
+1.5 ptssince 2020
from 25.1% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
29.9%
+0.5 ptssince 2020
from 29.4% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
5.1%
+0.4 ptssince 2020
from 4.7% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
59.5%
+1.4 ptssince 2020
from 58.1% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
50.6%
+3.0 ptssince 2020
from 47.6% 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)15.3%(676)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)29.4%(1,300)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era38.6%(1,711)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War3%(131)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0.1%(3)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 4,429 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
Drill deeper

Places similar to Somerset County

Greene County
Pop 47,411
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Pop 48,520
Knox County
Pop 47,767
Laurens County
Pop 51,041
Places similar to Somerset County
Head to head

Compare Somerset County to nearby counties

SOMERSET COUNTY VS
Franklin County
Income$58,675+1%
Home value$194,700+17%
Population30,824−40%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SOMERSET COUNTY VS
Piscataquis County
Income$61,345+5%
Home value$170,200+2%
Population17,409−66%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SOMERSET COUNTY VS
Penobscot County
Income$66,356+14%
Home value$214,100+28%
Population157,967+206%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SOMERSET COUNTY VS
Kennebec County
Income$69,077+19%
Home value$238,200+43%
Population129,067+150%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Somerset County, Maine?

Somerset County, Maine has about 50,959 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Somerset County, Maine?

The typical household in Somerset County, Maine earns about $58,179 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Somerset County, Maine expensive?

In Somerset County, Maine, the median home is worth about $166,900, and the typical rent is about $910 a month.

How educated are people in Somerset County, Maine?

About 21.1% of adults age 25 and over in Somerset County, Maine hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Somerset County, Maine?

About 14.2% of people in Somerset County, Maine live below the federal poverty line.

Has Somerset County, Maine grown since 1990?

Yes, Somerset County, Maine has grown since 1990. The population has added about 1,192 residents, a change of about 2 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →