Penobscot County, Maine
AffordabilityAffordability: grade D, better than 19% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade F, better than 3% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade C, better than 44% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade C, better than 36% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade B, better than 64% of US counties
- top 5% for park & nature access
- top 5% for sales tax
- bottom 3% for annual snowfall
Penobscot County is a county in Maine with about 153,000 residents. It grades B for lifestyle & connectivity and F for weather. Standout strengths include park & nature access, sales tax, and air quality. It rates lower on airport distance and annual snowfall.
Official websitepenobscot-county.net (opens in new tab)
Climate
Warm summers · Harsh winters · Moderate rain · Heavy snow
freezing
v.cold
cold
cool
comf.
warm
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cool
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66%50%clearovercast
Precipitation 4.0 in3.3 in
humid 22%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$59k47th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$51kbetter than 19% of US counties
Home Value$177k59th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$932better than 30% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$1kbetter than 35% of US counties
Property Tax Rate1.32%better than 21% of US counties
Income Tax7.10%better than 13% of US counties
Sales Tax5.50%better than 95% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden12.85%better than 14% of US counties
Unemployment4.3%better than 60% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)16°F6th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)68°F6th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation43.8 in51st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall86.1 inbetter than 3% of US counties
Sunny Days209 daysbetter than 22% of US counties
Summer Humidity58°Fbetter than 81% of US counties
Comfortable Days68 daysbetter than 24% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk78.0better than 21% of US counties
Air Quality35 AQIbetter than 83% of US counties
School Quality67.0better than 71% of US counties
Violent Crime1034/100kbetter than 34% of US counties
Property Crime1585/100kbetter than 23% of US counties
Community
Population152,64086th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age42.459th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.1423rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9942nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningEven22nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)92.3%81st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)0.9%35th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)1.6%11th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)1.0%67th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)4.2%68th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time23 minbetter than 63% of US counties
Walkability6.3/20better than 59% of US counties
Airport Distance248 mibetter than 8% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access86.3%better than 69% of US counties
Amenities Nearby0.00better than 12% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessExcellentbetter than 95% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is Penobscot County an affordable place to live?
- Penobscot County is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $51k, better than 19% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Penobscot County?
- The median home value in Penobscot County is $177k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Penobscot County?
- Median household income in Penobscot County is $59k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Penobscot County?
- Median gross rent in Penobscot County is $932 a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Penobscot County safe?
- Penobscot County is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 1034/100k (better than 34%). Property crime is 1585/100k.
- What is the weather like in Penobscot County?
- Penobscot County averages 68°F in July and 16°F in January, with 43.8 in of annual precipitation and about 209 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Penobscot County?
- Public-school quality in Penobscot County is above average, scoring better than 71% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Penobscot County?
- The average one-way commute in Penobscot County is 23 min.
Other counties in Maine
Explore Maine
Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)