Kennebec County vs Penobscot County
Kennebec County, Maine versus Penobscot County, Maine: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US counties.
Kennebec County and Penobscot County score about the same overall (44 vs 41 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Kennebec County | Penobscot County |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $62k | $59k |
| Cost of Living | $50k | $51k |
| Home Value | $198k | $177k |
| Monthly Rent | $900 | $932 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $1k | $1k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.23% | 1.32% |
| Income Tax | 7.10% | 7.10% |
| Sales Tax | 5.50% | 5.50% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 12.85% | 12.85% |
| Unemployment | 4.1% | 4.3% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 20°F | 16°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 69°F | 68°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 44.7 in | 43.8 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 78.4 in | 86.1 in |
| Sunny Days | 221 days | 209 days |
| Summer Humidity | 59°F | 58°F |
| Comfortable Days | 81 days | 68 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 75.2 | 78.0 |
| Air Quality | 37 AQI | 35 AQI |
| School Quality | 63.8 | 67.0 |
| Violent Crime | 1766/100k | 1034/100k |
| Property Crime | 2105/100k | 1585/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 124,003 | 152,640 |
| Median Age | 44.3 | 42.4 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.11 | 0.14 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.96 | 0.99 |
| Political Leaning | Even | Even |
| White (%) | 93.4% | 92.3% |
| Black (%) | 0.7% | 0.9% |
| Hispanic (%) | 1.8% | 1.6% |
| Asian (%) | 0.9% | 1.0% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.2% | 4.2% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 24 min | 23 min |
| Walkability | 6.6/20 | 6.3/20 |
| Airport Distance | 154 mi | 248 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 87.8% | 86.3% |
| Amenities Nearby | 1.77 | 0.00 |
| Park & Nature Access | Excellent | Excellent |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US counties: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Kennebec County or Penobscot County more affordable?
- Kennebec County has the lower cost of living: its index is $50k, compared with Kennebec County's $50k and Penobscot County's $51k. Median rent is $900 in Kennebec County versus $932 in Penobscot County.
- Is Kennebec County or Penobscot County safer?
- Penobscot County has the lower violent crime rate. Kennebec County reports 1766/100k and Penobscot County reports 1034/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Kennebec County or Penobscot County?
- The median home value is $198k in Kennebec County and $177k in Penobscot County, so homes are more affordable in Penobscot County.