Map the Block › Places › Maine › Penobscot County
Penobscot County, Maine: crime rate, income and local data
Penobscot County averaged 0.67 reported violent crimes per 1,000 residents a year in 2021-2025, 36% lower than the Maine rate (1.0). Median household income is $66,356 and the unemployment rate was 3.4% in August 2026. Population: about 154,710 (Census, 2020-2024).
Last updated . Crime: FBI 2021-2025. Income and housing: Census ACS 2020-2024. Unemployment: BLS August 2026. Road work: October 11, 2026.
Also on the map: income · hazard risk · Superfund · dams
What is the crime rate in Penobscot County?
Police agencies in Penobscot County reported an average of 103 violent crimes and 2,351 property crimes a year from 2021 to 2025. The violent rate, 0.67 per 1,000 people, is 36% lower than the Maine rate (1.0); nationally it is 3.7. Property crime ran at 15.2 per 1,000, against 11.1 statewide. Aggravated assaults make up 62% of the violent total. CDC death records show about 2 homicide deaths a year in the county (1.2 per 100,000), a count that includes cases police may classify differently.
| Offense (yearly average, 2021-2025) | Penobscot County | Per 1,000 | Maine per 1,000 | U.S. per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crime | 103 | 0.67 | 1.0 | 3.7 |
| Murder | 2 | 0.01 | 0.02 | 0.06 |
| Rape | 14 | 0.09 | 0.32 | 0.40 |
| Robbery | 23 | 0.15 | 0.11 | 0.62 |
| Aggravated assault | 64 | 0.41 | 0.58 | 2.6 |
| Property crime | 2,351 | 15.2 | 11.1 | 18.1 |
| Burglary | 205 | 1.3 | 1.1 | 2.4 |
| Larceny-theft | 2,045 | 13.2 | 9.4 | 13.0 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 101 | 0.65 | 0.72 | 2.6 |
Most crime never reaches the police, so these are reported crimes, a floor rather than the full count. In 2024 about half of violent crimes (48%) and about 3 in 10 property crimes (31%) were reported to police (U.S. Justice Department, National Crime Victimization Survey). Rates also depend on how completely each agency reports to the FBI. County figures add up the city police and sheriff reports in the county (13 agencies; 100% of residents covered).
What is the median household income in Penobscot County?
The median household in Penobscot County earns $66,356 a year, 11% lower than the Maine median ($74,733). Owner-occupied homes have a median value of $214,100, and the median rent is $1,041 a month. 15.6% of households received SNAP benefits in the past year (state: 12.0%). The newest monthly figure from the Bureau of Labor Statistics is 3.4% for August 2026 (preliminary), with 2,504 people out of work and looking.
| Census ACS 2020-2024 | Penobscot County | Maine | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 154,710 | 1,387,817 | 334,922,499 |
| Median household income | $66,356 | $74,733 | $80,734 |
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $214,100 | $296,600 | $332,700 |
| Median gross rent | $1,041 | $1,139 | $1,413 |
| Unemployment rate (2020-2024 average) | 3.6% | 3.8% | 5.2% |
| People below the poverty line | 14.1% | 10.7% | 12.5% |
| Households receiving SNAP (food stamps) | 15.6% | 12.0% | 12.1% |
| Adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher | 30.1% | 36.2% | 35.7% |
| Homeowner households | 70.5% | 74.3% | 65.2% |
| Median age | 42.5 | 44.8 | 38.9 |
| Households with broadband internet | 88.8% | 90.3% | 91.0% |
| People without health insurance | 6.3% | 6.2% | 8.4% |
What natural hazards and environmental sites are in Penobscot County?
On FEMA's National Risk Index, Penobscot County has an overall natural-hazard risk rating of “Relatively Low”. None of the seven hazards on our map (floods, wildfire, tornadoes, heat, earthquakes, hurricanes) is rated above “Relatively Moderate” here. The index compares counties with each other and also weighs how vulnerable and resilient a community is, so it is a long-run estimate, not a forecast.
Superfund sites
2 Superfund sites are on or proposed for EPA's National Priorities List in Penobscot County: Eastland Woolen Mill and West Site/Hows Corners. A listing means EPA is managing a long-term cleanup; it does not by itself mean anyone is exposed today.
High-hazard dams
Penobscot County has 8 dams classed as high hazard in the National Inventory of Dams. 1 is rated Poor or Unsatisfactory in condition, 7 Satisfactory or Fair. Tallest on the list: Dolby (66 ft) and Mattaceunk (45 ft). “High hazard” describes what lies downstream (people would probably die if the dam failed), not how likely the dam is to fail.
Industrial chemical releases
4 facilities in the county filed Toxics Release Inventory reports for 2024, together reporting 349 pounds of listed chemicals released on site. Reported releases are legal permitted amounts in most cases.
Disasters, air and water
Penobscot County was covered by 2 federal major disaster declarations from 2016 through 2025 (Severe Storm 2), not counting COVID-19. EPA air monitors logged 0 days in 2024 when the air quality index reached “unhealthy for sensitive groups” or worse. Of 54 community water systems, 1 had an open health-based drinking-water violation in EPA's records (September 2026). EPA puts the county in radon zone 1 (highest). NHTSA counted 24 traffic deaths in the county in 2024, including 2 pedestrians.
Is there road construction in Penobscot County?
Maine does not publish an open highway work-zone feed that we can read yet, so road construction in Penobscot County is not on our map. Check the state's 511 traveler site for current closures.
See today's work zones on the map →
How many schools, nursing homes and parks are in Penobscot County?
Penobscot County has 68 public schools (2024-25) and 10 private schools (2023-24) in federal school lists. 11 nursing homes are certified by Medicare or Medicaid here; star ratings for each are on the map and on Medicare's Care Compare. USGS mapping shows 52 fire or EMS stations and 16 police or sheriff stations. National Park Service sites here: Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument.
What tribal lands and sacred sites are in Penobscot County?
Census tribal areas that reach into Penobscot County: Penobscot Reservation and Off-Reservation Trust Land and Passamaquoddy Trust Land.
Tribal areas are Census statistical boundaries, shown for reference; they are not legal boundaries.
See them on the map: tribal lands →
Gun shops, liquor stores and Planned Parenthood in Penobscot County
Gun shops
15 gun shops with a public storefront are on the map in Penobscot County, plus 23 more licensed dealers without a public storefront (not shown). 5 of them are pawnshops licensed to sell guns. On the ATF list: Allsport Performance INC (Hermon), Central Maine Auto Auction (Hermon), Frati The Pawn Brokers (Bangor), J G Pawn (Bangor), Knife Edge Trading Post / Bragdon Energy (Millinocket), Main Street Trading Center (Lincoln), Maine Military Supply (Holden), Old Town Trading Post (Lincoln) and 7 more.
Liquor stores
No liquor stores are on the map in Penobscot County. Maine has no complete public liquor licence list we can use, so this count also draws on OpenStreetMap and Overture Maps and may miss some stores or include closed ones.
Planned Parenthood
There is no Planned Parenthood health center in Penobscot County on the map.
See them on the map: gun shops →
Sources: ATF licensee list (Sept 2026); state liquor licence lists, OpenStreetMap and Overture Maps (non-official; partial in some states); HHS Title X directory and CMS NPPES.
Common questions
What is the crime rate in Penobscot County?
Penobscot County averaged 103 reported violent crimes a year in 2021-2025, or 0.67 per 1,000 residents, 36% lower than the Maine rate (1.0). The property-crime rate was 15.2 per 1,000 (FBI Uniform Crime Reporting).
What is the median household income in Penobscot County?
$66,356 (Census American Community Survey, 2020-2024 average), compared with $74,733 for Maine and $80,734 nationally.
What is the unemployment rate in Penobscot County?
The newest monthly figure from the Bureau of Labor Statistics is 3.4% for August 2026 (preliminary), with 2,504 people out of work and looking.
What natural hazards affect Penobscot County?
On FEMA's National Risk Index, Penobscot County has an overall natural-hazard risk rating of “Relatively Low”. None of the seven hazards on our map (floods, wildfire, tornadoes, heat, earthquakes, hurricanes) is rated above “Relatively Moderate” here.
Are there Superfund sites in Penobscot County?
2 Superfund sites are on or proposed for EPA's National Priorities List in Penobscot County: Eastland Woolen Mill and West Site/Hows Corners.
How many nursing homes are in Penobscot County?
11 Medicare- or Medicaid-certified nursing homes (CMS provider data, September 2026).
How does Penobscot County compare with neighboring counties?
| County | Population | Violent crimes per 1,000 (2021-25) | Median household income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aroostook County | 67,058 | 0.76 | $56,700 |
| Hancock County | 56,460 | 0.64 | $72,744 |
| Piscataquis County | 17,263 | 0.32 | $61,345 |
| Somerset County | 50,959 | 1.2 | $58,179 |
| Waldo County | 40,192 | 0.15 | $72,782 |
| Washington County | 31,331 | 0.74 | $56,024 |
More: Maine statewide numbers · Sex-offender registry search (U.S. Justice Department, NSOPW)
Where do these numbers come from?
- Crime: FBI Uniform Crime Reporting 2021-2025 (agency level, Return A), averaged and summed by county by Map the Block; Census population; state and national rates: FBI estimated crimes 2021-2025.
- Income, housing, education: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year, table B19013 (median household income) and related tables.
- Monthly unemployment: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS), county data, not seasonally adjusted. Public domain.
- Hazards: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20 (December 2025), county scores; disasters: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.
- Superfund: U.S. EPA, Superfund site boundaries and NPL status (October 2026). Dams: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, National Inventory of Dams (public map service, October 2026). Chemical releases: U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory, reporting year 2024 (basic data file).
- Air and water: U.S. EPA AirData, annual AQI by county 2024; EPA Air Quality Design Values 2023-2025 (June 2026); U.S. EPA SDWIS via ECHO drinking-water download (September 30, 2026). Traffic deaths: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) 2024; Census population.
- Work zones: State departments of transportation, via the U.S. DOT Work Zone Data Exchange (WZDx) and state 511 feeds; refreshed every morning (snapshot October 11, 2026).
- Schools: National Center for Education Statistics, EDGE public school locations 2024-25; budgets: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances, fiscal year 2024; National Center for Education Statistics, EDGE Private School geocodes (Private School Survey 2023-24). Nursing homes: U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Nursing Home Provider Information and Penalties (September 2026). Stations: U.S. Geological Survey, National Structures Dataset (Fire Stations/EMS Stations), October 2026 pull.
- Parks: USGS Protected Areas Database of the U.S. (PAD-US 4.1); state park agencies' open data (CA, NY, PA, TN, TX, FL, NJ, KY, HI, UT, MT and others); OpenStreetMap contributors for some hours, phones, fees and camping; U.S. National Park Service: unit boundaries (Land Resources Division), Acreage Report (Sept 30, 2026), park pages on nps.gov (hours, fees), Visitor Use Statistics (2025).
Map the Block shows public statistics about places, not people, and does not rate or rank neighborhoods as places to live. Figures are as published by each source; check the source before relying on a number.
Home · Open the map · All places · About the data · Privacy · Terms