Map of Maine Counties and Baxter Park
is the thirdlargest in population of the sixteen counties, located in east central Maine, bisected by the Penobscot River and, the newer avenue of transportation, Interstate 95.
Formed on April 1, 1816 from the northern part of what was then Hancock County, it later gave up territory to form Piscataquis and Aroostook counties. As with many counties, towns and borders changed throughout the early 19th century. See an 1859 map of the county in the Map Cabinet.
The county currently consists of the cities of Bangor, Brewer, Old Town; and towns of Alton, Bradford, Bradley, Burlington, Carmel, Charleston, Chester, Clifton, Corinna, Corinth, Dexter, Dixmont, East Millinocket, Eddington, Edinburg, Enfield, Etna, Exeter, Garland, Glenburn, Greenbush, Hampden, Hermon, Holden, Howland, Hudson, Kenduskeag, Lagrange, Lakeville, Lee, Levant, Lincoln, Lowell, Mattawamkeag, Maxfield, Medway, Milford, Millinocket, Mount Chase, Newburgh, Newport, Orono, Orrington, Passadumkeag, Patten, Plymouth, Springfield, Stacyville, Stetson, Veazie, Winn, Woodville; the plantations of Carroll, Drew, Seboeis, and Webster; townships including Argyle, Greenfield, Kingman, Mattamiscontis, among others; and the Penobscot Nation reservation on Indian Island in the Penobscot River.
Penobscot County Courthouse (2001)
The City of Bangor is the County Seat, hosting the county government, courthouse, and the county jail.
In 2010, Penobscot County’s population represented 11.6% of the state’s total, with a census count of 153,923 a 6.2% increase over 2000, the largest percentage increase of any county and more than 50% greater than for the state as a whole.
| People QuickFacts (updated November 4, 2010) |
Penobscot County | Maine | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population, 2009 estimate | 149,419 | 1,318,301 | |
| Population, percent change, April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2009 | 3.1% | 3.4% | |
| Population estimates base (April 1) 2000 | 144,917 | 1,274,915 | |
| Persons under 5 years old, percent, 2009 | 5.5% | 5.4% | |
| Persons under 18 years old, percent, 2009 | 19.9% | 20.6% | |
| Persons 65 years old and over, percent, 2009 | 14.4% | 15.6% | |
| Female persons, percent, 2009 | 51.1% | 51.2% | |
| White persons, percent, 2009 (a) | 96.1% | 96.1% | |
| Black persons, percent, 2009 (a) | 0.8% | 1.2% | |
| American Indian and Alaska Native persons, percent, 2009 (a) | 0.9% | 0.6% | |
| Asians percent, 2009 (a) | 1.0% | 1.0% | |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander, percent, 2009 (a) | Z | Z | |
| Persons reporting two or more races, percent, 2009 | 1.0% | 1.1% | |
| Persons of Hispanic or Latino origin, percent, 2009 (b) | 1.1% | 1.4% | |
| White persons not Hispanic, percent, 2009 | 95.1% | 94.9% | |
| Living in same house in 1995 and 2000, pct 5 yrs old & over | 58.4% | 59.6% | |
| Foreign born persons, percent, 2000 | 2.5% | 2.9% | |
| Language other than English spoken at home, pct age 5+, 2000 | 4.6% | 7.8% | |
| High school graduates, percent of persons age 25+, 2000 | 85.7% | 85.4% | |
| Bachelor’s degree or higher, pct of persons age 25+, 2000 | 20.3% | 22.9% | |
| Persons with a disability, age 5+, 2000 | 26,450 | 237,910 | |
| Mean travel time to work (minutes), workers age 16+, 2000 | 20.7 | 22.7 | |
| Housing units, 2009 | 71,536 | 704,578 | |
| Homeownership rate, 2000 | 69.8% | 71.6% | |
| Housing units in multi-unit structures, percent, 2000 | 22.7% | 20.3% | |
| Median value of owner-occupied housing units, 2000 | $82,400 | $98,700 | |
| Households, 2000 | 58,096 | 518,200 | |
| Persons per household, 2000 | 2.38 | 2.39 | |
| Median household income, 2008 | $42,704 | $46,419 | |
| Per capita money income, 1999 | $17,801 | $19,533 | |
| Persons below poverty level, percent, 2008 | 15.9% | 12.6% | |
| Business QuickFacts | Penobscot County | Maine | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Private nonfarm establishments, 2008 | 4,278 | 41,7551 | |
| Private nonfarm employment, 2008 | 60,706 | 509,0931 | |
| Private nonfarm employment, percent change 2000-2008 | 6.8% | 3.5%1 | |
| Nonemployer establishments, 2008 | 9,999 | 113,522 | |
| Total number of firms, 2002 | 12,568 | 135,410 | |
| Black-owned firms, percent, 2002 | F | 0.2% | |
| American Indian and Alaska Native owned firms, percent, 2002 | F | 0.5% | |
| Asian-owned firms, percent, 2002 | 1.0% | 0.6% | |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander owned firms, percent, 2002 | F | S | |
| Hispanic-owned firms, percent, 2002 | F | 0.5% | |
| Women-owned firms, percent, 2002 | 22.5% | 24.0% | |
| Manufacturers shipments, 2002 ($1000) | 1,193,630 | 13,851,915 | |
| Wholesale trade sales, 2002 ($1000) | 1,001,721 | 10,371,084 | |
| Retail sales, 2002 ($1000) | 2,087,667 | 16,053,515 | |
| Retail sales per capita, 2002 | $14,212 | $12,370 | |
| Accommodation and foodservices sales, 2002 ($1000) | 185,903 | 2,045,841 | |
| Building permits, 2009 | 366 | 3,1211 | |
| Federal spending, 2008 | 1,354,630 | 11,974,3611 | |
| Geography QuickFacts | Penobscot County | Maine | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Land area, 2000 (square miles) | 3,395.73 | 30,861.55 | |
| Persons per square mile, 2000 | 42.7 | 41.3 | |
| FIPS Code | 019 | 23 | |
| Metropolitan or Micropolitan Statistical Area: Bangor, ME Metro Area |
(b) Hispanics may be of any race, so also are included in applicable race categories.D: Suppressed to avoid disclosure of confidential information
F: Fewer than 100 firms
FN: Footnote on this item for this area in place of data
NA: Not available
S: Suppressed; does not meet publication standards
X: Not applicable
Z: Value greater than zero but less than half unit of measure shown