Town · Maine
Palermo, Maine
Palermo, town, in Waldo County, Maine. Palermo had 1,636 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 4.3% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 1,570 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 1,473 (±218). GEOID 2302756450.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
1,636
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 1,570 · ACS 2020-2024: 1,473 ±218
Median household income
$89,095
±$15,252 (90% margin)
Maine: $74,733
Median home value
$259,700
±$53,726 (90% margin)
Maine: $296,600
Median gross rent
$1,235
±$1,108 (90% margin)
Maine: $1,139
Where is Palermo and what county is it in?
Palermo is a town in Waldo County, Maine. It covers 40.6 square miles of land, 39 residents per square mile in 2020.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Palermo, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 1,636 people lived in Palermo on July 1, 2025, up 4.3% since 2020, in line with Maine (+3.8%). The 2020 Census counted 1,570 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 1,473 (±218).
| Measure | Palermo | Waldo County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 1,473±218 | 40,192 | no clear change |
| Households | 657±100 | 17,470 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.24±0.17 | 2.25 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 994±104 | 22,252 | no clear change |
Palermo's population since 2000
From 1,220 in 2000 to 1,636 in 2025: up 34.1%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Palermo 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.
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 Palermo?
The median resident of Palermo is 43.4 years old; 18.1% are under 18 and 21.2% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 93.8%, then non-Hispanic residents of two or more races at 3.3%.
| Measure | Palermo | Waldo County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 43.4±6.1 | 47.4 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 18.1%±4.3 pts | 17.7% | – |
| 65 years and over | 21.2%±4.0 pts | 25.1% | – |
| Male | 48.5%±5.3 pts | 49.6% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 1.4%±1.3 pts | 1.6% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 93.8%±2.7 pts | 92.8% | −4.3 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.2%±0.3 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.3%±0.6 pts | 0.5% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±1.8 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±1.8 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 3.3%±1.9 pts | 4.0% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 1.0%±1.1 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 1.5%±1.1 pts | 2.3% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 1.7%±1.3 pts | 4.4% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 8.5%±2.6 pts | 7.6% | – |
| With a disability | 17.3%±4.9 pts | 16.8% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 3.5%±1.9 pts | 9.2% | −8.0 pts |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 95.7%±2.6 pts | 93.6% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 31.7%±6.7 pts | 34.4% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 11.1%±4.1 pts | 14.4% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 94.2%±3.0 pts | 91.3% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 1.9%±2.0 pts | 2.4% | – |
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 Palermo earn?
Half of Palermo's 657 households earn less than $89,095 a year (±$15,252), against $72,782 in Waldo County and $74,733 in Maine. In 2015-2019 it was $81,431 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 4.8% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Palermo | Waldo County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $89,095±$15,252 | $72,782 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $94,211±$8,049 | $91,541 | – |
| Per capita income | $41,438±$3,754 | $40,336 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 4.8%±3.0 pts | 12.0% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 3.0%±4.1 pts | 15.1% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 3.3%±1.9 pts | 12.5% | – |
| Households with a computer | 94.8%±3.3 pts | 93.9% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 88.9%±5.1 pts | 89.5% | – |
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 Palermo?
Owners occupy 91.2% of Palermo's occupied homes and renters 8.8%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $259,700 by its owner (±$53,726).
| Measure | Palermo | Waldo County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $259,700±$53,726 | $257,700 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $1,235±$1,108 | $1,021 | – |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 21.9%±25.0 pts | 33.5% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,706±$128 | $1,542 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 91.2%±5.3 pts | 81.9% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 8.8%±5.3 pts | 18.1% | – |
| Housing units | 994±104 | 22,252 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0%±4.5 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0%±35.5 pts | 7.7% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 91.5%±3.6 pts | 75.0% | – |
| Mobile homes | 6.7%±3.1 pts | 13.1% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 1.4%±1.1 pts | 2.0% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 10.4%±8.0 pts | 8.3% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 8.6%±3.9 pts | 21.6% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 1.7%±1.5 pts | 5.8% | – |
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 Palermo building?
Builders took permits for 15 new housing units in Palermo in 2025 (15 in single-family houses), 9.2 per 1,000 residents against 4.9 across Maine.
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 Palermo work and get to work?
68.1% of Palermo's workers drive alone and 18.8% work from home. The average trip to work takes 30.5 minutes.
| Measure | Palermo | Waldo County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 65.4%±5.9 pts | 58.1% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 2.3%±2.4 pts | 3.7% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 68.1%±8.2 pts | 72.0% | – |
| Carpooled | 10.3%±5.0 pts | 7.8% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.8%±1.0 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Walked | 2.0%±2.5 pts | 3.3% | – |
| Worked from home | 18.8%±8.9 pts | 15.6% | +15.8 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 30.5 min±2.9 | 26.6 min | −5.1 min |
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 Palermo?
1 census tract lies mostly in Palermo (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 460.01Waldo County | 2,143 | $80,417 |
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 Palermo) · Census block assignment files
How does Palermo compare with other places in Maine?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Palermo is the 5,642nd-most populous of the 16,079 U.S. towns and townships that have one and the 176th-most populous of 454 in Maine.
Palermo ranks 83rd of 349 places in Maine with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 176th | 454 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 112th | 273 |
| Residents per square mile | 307th | 353 |
| Median household income | 83rd | 349 |
| Per capita income | 149th | 353 |
| Median home value | 176th | 352 |
| Poverty rate | 255th | 277 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 155th | 352 |
| Median age | 227th | 353 |
| Owner-occupied share | 46th | 353 |
| Work from home | 94th | 275 |
| Travel time to work | 78th | 352 |
Palermo's figures with every place in Maine (CSV)
Every place in Maine, sortable · Compare Palermo 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 Palermo?
20 of the 57 figures for Palermo 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 Palermo 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.