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 2022, at 15.6%. Cumberland County had the lowest, at 6.6%. The median was 12.8% and the figure for Maine was 10.9%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Highest15.6Washington County
Lowest6.6Cumberland County
Median12.816 counties
Maine10.9History

All counties, 2022

CSVChart (SVG)

Washington CountyWashington County: 15.6 %15.6Aroostook CountyAroostook County: 15.4 %15.4Somerset CountySomerset County: 15.4 %15.4Piscataquis CountyPiscataquis County: 14.7 %14.7Penobscot CountyPenobscot County: 14.6 %14.6Franklin CountyFranklin County: 14.2 %14.2Waldo CountyWaldo County: 13 %13Androscoggin CountyAndroscoggin County: 12.8 %12.8Oxford CountyOxford County: 12.7 %12.7Kennebec CountyKennebec County: 12.2 %12.2Hancock CountyHancock County: 11 %11Knox CountyKnox County: 10.6 %10.6Sagadahoc CountySagadahoc County: 9.3 %9.3Lincoln CountyLincoln County: 9.1 %9.1York CountyYork County: 8.5 %8.5Cumberland CountyCumberland County: 6.6 %6.6
%. Source: U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

Full ranking

RankCounties2022 (%)Change on 2021
1Washington County15.6-2.6 pts
2Aroostook County15.4+0.5 pts
2Somerset County15.4+0.6 pts
4Piscataquis County14.7+0.7 pts
5Penobscot County14.60 pts
6Franklin County14.2+2.5 pts
7Waldo County13-0.1 pts
8Androscoggin County12.8-1.2 pts
9Oxford County12.7-2.4 pts
10Kennebec County12.2+0.9 pts
11Hancock County110 pts
12Knox County10.6+0.1 pts
13Sagadahoc County9.3+0.6 pts
14Lincoln County9.1-0.1 pts
15York County8.5+0.2 pts
16Cumberland County6.6-1.1 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/2022/2022-state-and-county/est22all.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 15.6% in 2022, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest poverty rate?

Cumberland County, with 6.6% in 2022.

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