Town · Maine

New Sweden, Maine

New Sweden, town, in Aroostook County, Maine. New Sweden had 574 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 1.4% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 577 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 494 (±105). GEOID 2300349415.

Residents, July 2025 estimate

574

Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 577 · ACS 2020-2024: 494 ±105

Median household income

$58,333

±$23,190 (90% margin)
Maine: $74,733

Median home value

$164,700

±$13,222 (90% margin)
Maine: $296,600

Median gross rent

$658

±$518 (90% margin)
Maine: $1,139

Where is New Sweden and what county is it in?

New Sweden is a town in Aroostook County, Maine. It covers 34.6 square miles of land, 17 residents per square mile in 2020.

New Sweden (marked with a dot) in Aroostook County, Maine. Boundaries: Census Bureau 2024.

Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files

How many people live in New Sweden, and is it growing?

The Census Bureau estimates that 574 people lived in New Sweden on July 1, 2025, down 1.4% since 2020, while Maine grew 3.8%. The 2020 Census counted 577 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 494 (±105).

  • July 2020→2021 −1 (580)
  • 2021→2022 +0 (580)
  • 2022→2023 +1 (581)
  • 2023→2024 −3 (578)
  • 2024→2025 −4 (574)
ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (counts) with the change from 2015-2019
MeasureNew SwedenAroostook CountyMaineChange since 2015-2019
Total population494±10567,0581,387,817no clear change
Households204±4229,932597,159no clear change
Average household size2.42±0.292.182.26no clear change
Housing units261±5038,450751,876no clear change

New Sweden's population since 2000

From 621 in 2000 to 574 in 2025: down 7.6%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for New Sweden as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.

  • 2000 Census 621
  • 2005 (estimate) 613
  • 2010 Census 602
  • 2015 (estimate) 584
  • 2020 Census 577
  • 2025 (estimate) 574

Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates

Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov

Who lives in New Sweden?

The median resident of New Sweden is 50.5 years old; 23.1% are under 18 and 30.8% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 87.2%, then non-Hispanic residents of two or more races at 9.1%.

Age, origin, education and moves, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates. Race groups are non-Hispanic; Hispanic includes any race.
MeasureNew SwedenAroostook CountyMaineChange since 2015-2019
Median age50.5±8.048.344.8no clear change
Under 18 years23.1%±7.9 pts18.7%18.1%–
65 years and over30.8%±8.3 pts25.7%22.4%–
Male48.2%±5.8 pts50.0%49.3%–
Hispanic or Latino (any race)1.4%±1.8 pts1.7%2.2%–
White alone, not Hispanic87.2%±6.2 pts92.5%89.9%no clear change
Black or African American alone, not Hispanic0.0%±5.4 pts0.7%1.8%–
Asian alone, not Hispanic0.8%±1.2 pts0.3%1.1%–
American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic1.4%±2.0 pts1.1%0.3%–
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic0.0%±5.4 pts0.1%0.0%–
Two or more races, not Hispanic9.1%±5.9 pts3.3%4.2%–
Some other race alone, not Hispanic0.0%±5.4 pts0.1%0.4%–
Born outside the United States0.8%±1.2 pts4.1%4.1%–
Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+)2.9%±2.2 pts14.0%6.0%–
Civilian veterans (age 18+)16.8%±4.8 pts10.0%8.4%–
With a disability21.9%±5.7 pts20.6%15.8%–
No health insurance coverage3.6%±2.7 pts8.0%6.2%–
High school graduate or higher (age 25+)98.9%±1.3 pts91.1%94.8%–
Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+)29.4%±6.3 pts23.4%36.2%no clear change
Graduate or professional degree (age 25+)5.0%±3.3 pts7.4%13.7%–
Lived in the same house a year earlier92.9%±4.0 pts90.1%89.4%–
Moved from another state in the past year2.4%±3.4 pts1.8%2.7%–

Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov

What do households in New Sweden earn?

Half of New Sweden's 204 households earn less than $58,333 a year (±$23,190), against $56,700 in Aroostook County and $74,733 in Maine. In 2015-2019 it was $45,591 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 16.0% of residents live below the poverty line.

Income and poverty in 2024 dollars, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates; 2015-2019 dollars adjusted with the R-CPI-U-RS
MeasureNew SwedenAroostook CountyMaineChange since 2015-2019
Median household income$58,333±$23,190$56,700$74,733no clear change
Mean household income$82,649±$10,362$77,175$100,102–
Per capita income$33,197±$4,692$34,879$43,742no clear change
People below the poverty line16.0%±7.9 pts14.4%10.7%no clear change
Children under 18 below the poverty line35.1%±19.6 pts16.4%13.1%–
Households receiving SNAP20.6%±6.2 pts20.7%12.0%–
Households with a computer91.7%±8.1 pts91.0%94.9%–
Households with a broadband subscription82.4%±8.1 pts84.3%90.3%–

Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov

What does housing cost in New Sweden?

Owners occupy 88.2% of New Sweden's occupied homes and renters 11.8%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $164,700 by its owner (±$13,222).

Housing, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates. Home values are owners' own estimates.
MeasureNew SwedenAroostook CountyMaineChange since 2015-2019
Median home value (owner-occupied)$164,700±$13,222$149,700$296,600+$28,462
Median gross rent$658±$518$784$1,139–
Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent15.8%±25.3 pts35.4%37.9%–
Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage$1,028±$211$1,196$1,729–
Owner-occupied homes88.2%±4.7 pts74.5%74.3%+8.7 pts
Renter-occupied homes11.8%±4.7 pts25.5%25.7%–
Housing units261±5038,450751,876no clear change
Homeowner vacancy rate0.0%±14.1 pts1.1%0.7%–
Rental vacancy rate0.0%±55.7 pts6.1%4.2%–
Single-family detached homes85.8%±6.0 pts73.4%70.0%–
Mobile homes4.2%±3.6 pts9.2%8.2%–
Built 2020 or later0.0%±10.0 pts0.8%1.4%–
Built 2010 to 20195.4%±4.6 pts4.5%7.1%–
Built 1939 or earlier38.7%±9.4 pts19.9%22.9%–
Households with no vehicle2.5%±3.5 pts8.6%6.8%–

Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov

How many new homes is New Sweden building?

Builders took permits for 0 new housing units in New Sweden in 2025 (0 in single-family houses), 0.0 per 1,000 residents against 4.9 across Maine.

  • 2019 0 units
  • 2020 0 units
  • 2021 0 units
  • 2022 1 units
  • 2023 1 units
  • 2024 1 units
  • 2025 0 units

Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.

Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey

How do people in New Sweden work and get to work?

86.3% of New Sweden's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 28.3 minutes.

Work and commuting, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (workers 16 and over)
MeasureNew SwedenAroostook CountyMaineChange since 2015-2019
In the labor force (age 16+)44.8%±7.4 pts54.7%61.7%–
Unemployment rate4.9%±5.5 pts5.3%3.8%–
Drove alone to work86.3%±7.8 pts77.8%70.8%–
Carpooled7.1%±6.7 pts9.6%7.9%–
Public transportation0.0%±15.1 pts0.1%0.5%–
Walked3.6%±4.1 pts2.1%3.4%–
Worked from home3.0%±2.8 pts8.8%15.9%–
Mean travel time to work28.3 min±6.918.3 min24.6 minno clear change

Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov

What census tracts are in New Sweden?

No census tract lies mostly in New Sweden; 1 tract reaches into it (2020 census blocks).

Census tracts in New Sweden, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
TractResidents, 2020-2024Median household incomeMedian home valueShare of tract in New Sweden
Tract 9501Aroostook County2,428 $62,375 $176,40011%

Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in New Sweden) · Census block assignment files

How does New Sweden compare with other places in Maine?

By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, New Sweden is the 9,614th-most populous of the 16,079 U.S. towns and townships that have one and the 318th-most populous of 454 in Maine.

New Sweden is not ranked by income or the other survey measures: those rankings include places of 1,000 or more residents (2020 Census) with a reliable estimate.

New Sweden's rank in Maine (1 = highest): by population among the state's towns and townships with a 2025 estimate; by the other measures among places of 1,000+ residents with a reliable estimate
MeasureRankOf
Population, July 2025 estimate318th454

New Sweden's figures with every place in Maine (CSV)

Every place in Maine, sortable · Compare New Sweden with other places

Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed

How reliable are the figures for New Sweden?

24 of the 57 figures for New Sweden on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.

The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.

Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation

How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections

Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for New Sweden are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' school search.