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 2018, at 18.3%. Cumberland County had the lowest, at 8.2%. The median was 13% and the figure for Maine was 11.6%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Highest18.3Washington County
Lowest8.2Cumberland County
Median1316 counties
Maine11.6History

All counties, 2018

CSVChart (SVG)

Washington CountyWashington County: 18.3 %18.3Piscataquis CountyPiscataquis County: 17.5 %17.5Oxford CountyOxford County: 16.7 %16.7Somerset CountySomerset County: 16.1 %16.1Aroostook CountyAroostook County: 15.3 %15.3Penobscot CountyPenobscot County: 14.7 %14.7Franklin CountyFranklin County: 14.5 %14.5Waldo CountyWaldo County: 13.7 %13.7Androscoggin CountyAndroscoggin County: 12.3 %12.3Hancock CountyHancock County: 11.6 %11.6Kennebec CountyKennebec County: 11.2 %11.2Lincoln CountyLincoln County: 11.1 %11.1Knox CountyKnox County: 11 %11York CountyYork County: 9 %9Sagadahoc CountySagadahoc County: 8.7 %8.7Cumberland CountyCumberland County: 8.2 %8.2
%. Source: U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

Full ranking

RankCounties2018 (%)Change on 2017
1Washington County18.3-2.8 pts
2Piscataquis County17.5+2 pts
3Oxford County16.7+3.2 pts
4Somerset County16.1+0.2 pts
5Aroostook County15.3+0.9 pts
6Penobscot County14.7+0.4 pts
7Franklin County14.5+0.8 pts
8Waldo County13.7+0.6 pts
9Androscoggin County12.3-0.1 pts
10Hancock County11.6+0.6 pts
11Kennebec County11.2-1.2 pts
12Lincoln County11.1-0.3 pts
13Knox County11+0.3 pts
14York County9+1.2 pts
15Sagadahoc County8.7-1 pts
16Cumberland County8.2+0.1 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/2018/2018-state-and-county/est18all.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 18.3% in 2018, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest poverty rate?

Cumberland County, with 8.2% in 2018.

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