Penobscot County, Maine
Located in Maine, Penobscot County has a population of 154,710 residents and a median age of 42.5 years, making it the #449 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 14.1%. The median home value is $214,100, and the median household income is $66,356, which is 12% below the national median.
Demographics
Penobscot County has a population of 154,710, making it the #449 most populous county in the US. The median age is 42.5 years, which is 9.3% above the national median.
Population Trend
Rankings →Year-over-Year Population Growth
Age & Sex Distribution
Race & Ethnicity
Nativity
Geographic Mobility (Past Year)
Economy
The median household income in Penobscot County is $66,356, ranking #1,485 out of 3,222 counties — 11.7% below the national median. The poverty rate is 14.1% and unemployment stands at 3.6%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in Penobscot County is $214,100 (-24.1% vs national). Renters pay a median of $1,041/mo and the homeownership rate is 70.5%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Penobscot County, 30.1% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 10.6% below the national average, ranking #757 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Penobscot County is 75.3 years. 15.9% of adults report poor or fair health and 8.8% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
17.7% of adults in Penobscot County smoke , 38.8% are obese , and 19.0% report excessive drinking. The drug overdose death rate is 63.3 per 100,000.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
The homicide rate in Penobscot County is 1.2 per 100,000 and the suicide rate is 17.6 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 14.3 per 100,000.
Homicide Rate Trend
Families & Children
13.0% of children in Penobscot County live in poverty and the infant mortality rate is 5.4 per 1,000 live births. The teen birth rate is 9.7 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Infant Mortality Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in Penobscot County is 70.5%. The mean commute time is 24.7 min, which is 10.4% below the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, Penobscot County voted Republican with a margin of 10.9%. The vote was 43.6% Dem / 54.5% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 2.5 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
About Penobscot County, Maine
Penobscot County, Maine has a total population of 154,710, making it the 449th most populous county in the United States. The median age in Penobscot County is 42.5 years, which is 9.3% above the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in Penobscot County is $66,356, which ranks #1,485 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 11.7% below the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 14.1%, higher than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 3.6%.
The median home value in Penobscot County is $214,100, 24.1% below the national median. Renters in Penobscot County pay a median gross rent of $1,041 per month. The homeownership rate is 70.5%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In Penobscot County, 30.1% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 10.6% below the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 93.7% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 24.7 min.
Penobscot County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 91.1% of the population, followed by Two or More Races (3.4%) and Hispanic or Latino (2.1%).
All data for Penobscot County, Maine comes from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates. These figures are estimates based on survey sampling and are subject to margin of error. For the most detailed and up-to-date data, visit the Census Bureau's official data portal.