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

Counties in Maine by poverty rate

Somerset County had the highest poverty rate of 16 counties in 2016, at 19.5%. York County had the lowest, at 8.1%. The median was 13.8% and the figure for Maine was 12.3%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Highest19.5Somerset County
Lowest8.1York County
Median13.816 counties
Maine12.3History

All counties, 2016

CSVChart (SVG)

Somerset CountySomerset County: 19.5 %19.5Piscataquis CountyPiscataquis County: 18.9 %18.9Washington CountyWashington County: 18.4 %18.4Aroostook CountyAroostook County: 16.3 %16.3Penobscot CountyPenobscot County: 14.8 %14.8Franklin CountyFranklin County: 14.3 %14.3Waldo CountyWaldo County: 14.3 %14.3Kennebec CountyKennebec County: 14.1 %14.1Oxford CountyOxford County: 13.4 %13.4Androscoggin CountyAndroscoggin County: 12.7 %12.7Knox CountyKnox County: 11.4 %11.4Lincoln CountyLincoln County: 11.3 %11.3Hancock CountyHancock County: 11 %11Cumberland CountyCumberland County: 10 %10Sagadahoc CountySagadahoc County: 9.3 %9.3York CountyYork County: 8.1 %8.1
%. Source: U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

Full ranking

RankCounties2016 (%)Change on 2015
1Somerset County19.5+0.8 pts
2Piscataquis County18.9-0.2 pts
3Washington County18.4-0.4 pts
4Aroostook County16.3-2.1 pts
5Penobscot County14.8-2.3 pts
6Franklin County14.3-0.3 pts
6Waldo County14.3-0.1 pts
8Kennebec County14.1+1 pts
9Oxford County13.4-3.6 pts
10Androscoggin County12.7-2.3 pts
11Knox County11.40 pts
12Lincoln County11.3-2.8 pts
13Hancock County11-0.5 pts
14Cumberland County10-0.7 pts
15Sagadahoc County9.3-1.9 pts
16York County8.1-0.2 pts

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/2016/2016-state-and-county/est16all.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?

Somerset County, with 19.5% in 2016, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest poverty rate?

York County, with 8.1% in 2016.

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