Data / Rankings / Poverty rate (US official measure) / Counties in Maine

Counties in Maine by poverty rate

Piscataquis County had the highest poverty rate of 16 counties in 2015, at 19.1%. York County had the lowest, at 8.3%. The median was 14.5% and the figure for Maine was 13.2%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Highest19.1Piscataquis County
Lowest8.3York County
Median14.516 counties
Maine13.2History

All counties, 2015

CSVChart (SVG)

Piscataquis CountyPiscataquis County: 19.1 %19.1Washington CountyWashington County: 18.8 %18.8Somerset CountySomerset County: 18.7 %18.7Aroostook CountyAroostook County: 18.4 %18.4Penobscot CountyPenobscot County: 17.1 %17.1Oxford CountyOxford County: 17 %17Androscoggin CountyAndroscoggin County: 15 %15Franklin CountyFranklin County: 14.6 %14.6Waldo CountyWaldo County: 14.4 %14.4Lincoln CountyLincoln County: 14.1 %14.1Kennebec CountyKennebec County: 13.1 %13.1Hancock CountyHancock County: 11.5 %11.5Knox CountyKnox County: 11.4 %11.4Sagadahoc CountySagadahoc County: 11.2 %11.2Cumberland CountyCumberland County: 10.7 %10.7York CountyYork County: 8.3 %8.3
%. Source: U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

Full ranking

RankCounties2015 (%)
1Piscataquis County19.1
2Washington County18.8
3Somerset County18.7
4Aroostook County18.4
5Penobscot County17.1
6Oxford County17
7Androscoggin County15
8Franklin County14.6
9Waldo County14.4
10Lincoln County14.1
11Kennebec County13.1
12Hancock County11.5
13Knox County11.4
14Sagadahoc County11.2
15Cumberland County10.7
16York County8.3

Other periods

About this ranking

People living in families or alone with income below the official US poverty thresholds, as a percentage of people whose poverty status can be determined. United States: Census Bureau Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE), all ages.

Absolute thresholds set by the US government, so not comparable with the EU at_risk_of_poverty_rate.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the counties are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

U.S. Census Bureau. Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people of all ages in poverty, states and counties. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2015/2015-state-and-county/est15all.txt. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

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Rank Counties in Maine by poverty rate using official data, and cite the source.
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Questions

Which county has the highest poverty rate?

Piscataquis County, with 19.1% in 2015, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest poverty rate?

York County, with 8.3% in 2015.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people of all ages in poverty, states and counties. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

Poverty rate (US official measure): other rankings

Counties in Maine: more rankings