Town · Maine
Penobscot, Maine
Penobscot, town, in Hancock County, Maine. Penobscot had 1,159 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 2.0% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 1,136 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 1,154 (±154). GEOID 2300957920.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
1,159
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 1,136 · ACS 2020-2024: 1,154 ±154
Median household income
$63,194
±$14,420 (90% margin)
Maine: $74,733
Median home value
$296,400
±$57,769 (90% margin)
Maine: $296,600
Median gross rent
$1,141
±$33 (90% margin)
Maine: $1,139
Where is Penobscot and what county is it in?
Penobscot is a town in Hancock County, Maine. It covers 39.9 square miles of land, 28 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 Penobscot, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 1,159 people lived in Penobscot on July 1, 2025, up 2.0% since 2020, slower than Maine (+3.8%). The 2020 Census counted 1,136 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 1,154 (±154).
| Measure | Penobscot | Hancock County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 1,154±154 | 56,460 | no clear change |
| Households | 531±61 | 25,572 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.17±0.19 | 2.14 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 792±90 | 40,765 | −171 |
Penobscot's population since 2000
From 1,344 in 2000 to 1,159 in 2025: down 13.8%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Penobscot 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 Penobscot?
The median resident of Penobscot is 53.4 years old; 18.0% are under 18 and 32.0% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 94.1%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 2.9%.
| Measure | Penobscot | Hancock County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 53.4±5.7 | 49.0 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 18.0%±5.8 pts | 16.2% | – |
| 65 years and over | 32.0%±6.2 pts | 26.6% | – |
| Male | 44.5%±4.9 pts | 48.9% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 2.9%±2.6 pts | 1.9% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 94.1%±4.0 pts | 92.6% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±2.4 pts | 1.0% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.3%±0.4 pts | 1.0% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±2.4 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±2.4 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 2.3%±2.4 pts | 2.8% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.3%±0.4 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 2.9%±2.2 pts | 3.3% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 3.3%±2.1 pts | 3.3% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 9.7%±3.5 pts | 8.0% | – |
| With a disability | 11.1%±3.6 pts | 15.1% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 8.1%±4.6 pts | 9.6% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 97.5%±2.2 pts | 95.6% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 32.4%±6.6 pts | 40.1% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 8.7%±2.9 pts | 15.2% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 83.5%±9.4 pts | 89.2% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 4.7%±5.5 pts | 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 Penobscot earn?
Half of Penobscot's 531 households earn less than $63,194 a year (±$14,420), against $72,744 in Hancock County and $74,733 in Maine. In 2015-2019 it was $54,962 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 16.0% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Penobscot | Hancock County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $63,194±$14,420 | $72,744 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $84,800±$19,947 | $97,122 | – |
| Per capita income | $39,498±$8,870 | $44,241 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 16.0%±8.0 pts | 9.9% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 33.2%±21.1 pts | 11.4% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 11.5%±7.5 pts | 8.4% | – |
| Households with a computer | 92.8%±5.2 pts | 93.9% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 88.7%±6.3 pts | 91.2% | – |
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 Penobscot?
Owners occupy 84.2% of Penobscot's occupied homes and renters 15.8%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $296,400 by its owner (±$57,769). The median renter pays $1,141 a month including utilities, and 73.9% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Penobscot | Hancock County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $296,400±$57,769 | $310,400 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $1,141±$33 | $1,061 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 73.9%±27.9 pts | 39.3% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,386±$199 | $1,673 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 84.2%±7.1 pts | 78.5% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 15.8%±7.1 pts | 21.5% | – |
| Housing units | 792±90 | 40,765 | −171 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 4.1%±4.4 pts | 1.3% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0%±27.3 pts | 6.7% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 87.6%±4.9 pts | 80.9% | – |
| Mobile homes | 6.8%±3.1 pts | 7.4% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 1.5%±1.5 pts | 1.2% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 4.2%±2.7 pts | 8.7% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 29.4%±8.0 pts | 22.1% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 0.8%±1.0 pts | 6.2% | – |
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 Penobscot building?
Builders took permits for 9 new housing units in Penobscot in 2025 (9 in single-family houses), 7.8 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 Penobscot work and get to work?
68.7% of Penobscot's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 24.9 minutes.
| Measure | Penobscot | Hancock County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 54.6%±6.8 pts | 60.0% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 4.2%±4.0 pts | 4.6% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 68.7%±12.1 pts | 68.2% | – |
| Carpooled | 8.9%±6.1 pts | 11.9% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0%±5.3 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Walked | 4.0%±2.7 pts | 4.3% | – |
| Worked from home | 17.7%±12.3 pts | 13.7% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 24.9 min±3.2 | 25.4 min | no 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 Penobscot?
1 census tract lies mostly in Penobscot (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9664Hancock County | 2,516 | $74,050 |
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 Penobscot) · Census block assignment files
How does Penobscot compare with other places in Maine?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Penobscot is the 7,041st-most populous of the 16,079 U.S. towns and townships that have one and the 235th-most populous of 454 in Maine.
Penobscot ranks 222nd 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 | 235th | 454 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 179th | 273 |
| Residents per square mile | 342nd | 353 |
| Median household income | 222nd | 349 |
| Per capita income | 177th | 353 |
| Median home value | 129th | 352 |
| Median gross rent | 112th | 301 |
| Poverty rate | 65th | 277 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 152nd | 352 |
| Median age | 63rd | 353 |
| Owner-occupied share | 139th | 353 |
| Travel time to work | 177th | 352 |
Penobscot's figures with every place in Maine (CSV)
Every place in Maine, sortable · Compare Penobscot 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 Penobscot?
18 of the 57 figures for Penobscot 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 Penobscot 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.