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

Counties in Maine by poverty rate

Washington County had the highest poverty rate of 16 counties in 2017, at 21.1%. York County had the lowest, at 7.8%. The median was 12.8% and the figure for Maine was 11.3%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Highest21.1Washington County
Lowest7.8York County
Median12.816 counties
Maine11.3History

All counties, 2017

CSVChart (SVG)

Washington CountyWashington County: 21.1 %21.1Somerset CountySomerset County: 15.9 %15.9Piscataquis CountyPiscataquis County: 15.5 %15.5Aroostook CountyAroostook County: 14.4 %14.4Penobscot CountyPenobscot County: 14.3 %14.3Franklin CountyFranklin County: 13.7 %13.7Oxford CountyOxford County: 13.5 %13.5Waldo CountyWaldo County: 13.1 %13.1Androscoggin CountyAndroscoggin County: 12.4 %12.4Kennebec CountyKennebec County: 12.4 %12.4Lincoln CountyLincoln County: 11.4 %11.4Hancock CountyHancock County: 11 %11Knox CountyKnox County: 10.7 %10.7Sagadahoc CountySagadahoc County: 9.7 %9.7Cumberland CountyCumberland County: 8.1 %8.1York CountyYork County: 7.8 %7.8
%. Source: U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

Full ranking

RankCounties2017 (%)Change on 2016
1Washington County21.1+2.7 pts
2Somerset County15.9-3.6 pts
3Piscataquis County15.5-3.4 pts
4Aroostook County14.4-1.9 pts
5Penobscot County14.3-0.5 pts
6Franklin County13.7-0.6 pts
7Oxford County13.5+0.1 pts
8Waldo County13.1-1.2 pts
9Androscoggin County12.4-0.3 pts
9Kennebec County12.4-1.7 pts
11Lincoln County11.4+0.1 pts
12Hancock County110 pts
13Knox County10.7-0.7 pts
14Sagadahoc County9.7+0.4 pts
15Cumberland County8.1-1.9 pts
16York County7.8-0.3 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/2017/2017-state-and-county/est17all.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?

Washington County, with 21.1% in 2017, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest poverty rate?

York County, with 7.8% in 2017.

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