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 2021, at 18.2%. Cumberland County had the lowest, at 7.7%. The median was 12.4% and the figure for Maine was 11.2%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Highest18.2Washington County
Lowest7.7Cumberland County
Median12.416 counties
Maine11.2History

All counties, 2021

CSVChart (SVG)

Washington CountyWashington County: 18.2 %18.2Oxford CountyOxford County: 15.1 %15.1Aroostook CountyAroostook County: 14.9 %14.9Somerset CountySomerset County: 14.8 %14.8Penobscot CountyPenobscot County: 14.6 %14.6Androscoggin CountyAndroscoggin County: 14 %14Piscataquis CountyPiscataquis County: 14 %14Waldo CountyWaldo County: 13.1 %13.1Franklin CountyFranklin County: 11.7 %11.7Kennebec CountyKennebec County: 11.3 %11.3Hancock CountyHancock County: 11 %11Knox CountyKnox County: 10.5 %10.5Lincoln CountyLincoln County: 9.2 %9.2Sagadahoc CountySagadahoc County: 8.7 %8.7York CountyYork County: 8.3 %8.3Cumberland CountyCumberland County: 7.7 %7.7
%. Source: U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

Full ranking

RankCounties2021 (%)Change on 2020
1Washington County18.2+6.2 pts
2Oxford County15.1+2.1 pts
3Aroostook County14.9-0.4 pts
4Somerset County14.8+0.3 pts
5Penobscot County14.6+2.5 pts
6Androscoggin County14+2.3 pts
6Piscataquis County14-0.6 pts
8Waldo County13.1+1.5 pts
9Franklin County11.7-1.2 pts
10Kennebec County11.3+0.1 pts
11Hancock County11+0.7 pts
12Knox County10.5+0.3 pts
13Lincoln County9.2+0.4 pts
14Sagadahoc County8.7-0.5 pts
15York County8.3+0.2 pts
16Cumberland County7.7-0.9 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/2021/2021-state-and-county/est21all.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 18.2% in 2021, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest poverty rate?

Cumberland County, with 7.7% in 2021.

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