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 2019, at 19.6%. Cumberland County had the lowest, at 7.8%. The median was 12% and the figure for Maine was 10.9%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Highest19.6Washington County
Lowest7.8Cumberland County
Median1216 counties
Maine10.9History

All counties, 2019

CSVChart (SVG)

Washington CountyWashington County: 19.6 %19.6Somerset CountySomerset County: 18.3 %18.3Piscataquis CountyPiscataquis County: 16.5 %16.5Aroostook CountyAroostook County: 15.5 %15.5Waldo CountyWaldo County: 13.7 %13.7Oxford CountyOxford County: 13 %13Franklin CountyFranklin County: 12.6 %12.6Penobscot CountyPenobscot County: 12.4 %12.4Kennebec CountyKennebec County: 11.5 %11.5Lincoln CountyLincoln County: 11 %11Knox CountyKnox County: 10.9 %10.9Hancock CountyHancock County: 10.6 %10.6Androscoggin CountyAndroscoggin County: 10.4 %10.4Sagadahoc CountySagadahoc County: 8.6 %8.6York CountyYork County: 7.9 %7.9Cumberland CountyCumberland County: 7.8 %7.8
%. Source: U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

Full ranking

RankCounties2019 (%)Change on 2018
1Washington County19.6+1.3 pts
2Somerset County18.3+2.2 pts
3Piscataquis County16.5-1 pts
4Aroostook County15.5+0.2 pts
5Waldo County13.70 pts
6Oxford County13-3.7 pts
7Franklin County12.6-1.9 pts
8Penobscot County12.4-2.3 pts
9Kennebec County11.5+0.3 pts
10Lincoln County11-0.1 pts
11Knox County10.9-0.1 pts
12Hancock County10.6-1 pts
13Androscoggin County10.4-1.9 pts
14Sagadahoc County8.6-0.1 pts
15York County7.9-1.1 pts
16Cumberland County7.8-0.4 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/2019/2019-state-and-county/est19all.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 19.6% in 2019, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest poverty rate?

Cumberland County, with 7.8% in 2019.

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