Population 17,263 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Piscataquis County
Household size in Piscataquis County
| Period | Piscataquis County | Maine | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.19 | 2.37 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.21 | 2.36 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.33 | 2.35 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.07 | 2.30 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.12 | −0.07 | −0.03 |
Piscataquis County is a place of small households, averaging 2.07 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Household size has dropped from 2.19 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. No other Maine county has smaller households.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Piscataquis County
| Period | Piscataquis County | Maine | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 47.2 | 42.1 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 48.7 | 43.5 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 52.1 | 45.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 49.1 | 45.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.9 | +2.9 | +2.3 |
Piscataquis County skews older: half of its residents are older than 49.1, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families. The median age has climbed from 47.2 in 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Few Maine counties are older: only two of 16.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Piscataquis County
| Period | Piscataquis County | Maine | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.0% | 10.1% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 10.5% | 10.1% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 9.3% | 9.4% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 11.5% | 8.8% | 11.6% |
| Change | +1.5 pts | −1.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are about as common in Piscataquis County as they are nationally: 11.5%, against 11.6%. Single parents are more common here than in Maine overall (8.8%). The single-parent share is up 1.5 points from 2006–10, even as the national share fell.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Piscataquis County
Renters in Piscataquis County
| Period | Piscataquis County | Maine | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 22.1% | 26.9% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 23.1% | 28.6% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 24.1% | 27.7% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 21.2% | 25.7% | 34.8% |
| Change | −0.9 pts | −1.2 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 21.2% of households in Piscataquis County rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. Among homeowners, 52.1% have no mortgage at all, well above the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the south and least common in the west. Since 2006–10, the renter share has edged down 0.9 points, even as the national share rose.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Piscataquis County
| Period | Piscataquis County | Maine | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 36.0% | 17.8% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 38.8% | 18.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 43.8% | 19.0% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 37.4% | 16.4% | 9.6% |
| Change | +1.4 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Piscataquis County: 37.4% of homes are empty, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand. Piscataquis County has the highest vacancy rate of any Maine county.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Piscataquis County
| Period | Piscataquis County | Maine | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1965 | 1969 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1968 | 1971 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1971 | 1973 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1978 | 1975 | 1980 |
| Change | +13 | +6 | +6 |
The typical home in Piscataquis County was built around 1978, about the same vintage as the country's housing overall (1980). The median year built has moved up from 1965 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Piscataquis County has newer homes than at least four in five Maine counties.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Piscataquis County
| Period | Piscataquis County | Maine | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $506 | $766 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $596 | $831 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $640 | $919 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $821 | $1,230 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$315 | +$464 | +$606 |
The median renter in Piscataquis County pays $821 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $315 a month since 2006–10, up 62%, roughly in step with the nation. Rent takes 26.2% of the typical renter's income, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. The priciest rents are in the east; the most affordable are in the west.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Piscataquis County
Bachelor's degrees in Piscataquis County
| Period | Piscataquis County | Maine | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.9% | 27.0% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 18.0% | 28.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 18.7% | 32.0% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 21.8% | 36.5% | 35.6% |
| Change | +6.9 pts | +9.5 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Piscataquis County: 21.8% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree is up 6.9 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. Only one other Maine county has a lower share of college graduates.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Piscataquis County
| Period | Piscataquis County | Maine | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 88.5% | 89.9% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 88.7% | 91.4% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 90.4% | 92.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 91.4% | 94.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +2.9 pts | +4.8 pts | +4.3 pts |
About nine in ten adults in Piscataquis County have finished high school (91.4%), a bit above the national rate of 89.3%. Even so, the rate is lower than in Maine overall (94.8%). The share with a diploma is up 2.9 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Piscataquis County
| Period | Piscataquis County | Maine | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.4% | 6.6% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 10.6% | 7.6% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.9% | 4.2% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.6% | 3.9% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.8 pts | −2.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been easier to find in Piscataquis County than nationally: unemployment was 3.6%, against 5.4%. Unemployment is down 2.8 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Piscataquis County compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Piscataquis County | 2.07 | 49.1 | 11.5% | 21.2% | 37.4% | 1978 | $821 | 21.8% | 91.4% | 3.6% |
| Penobscot County | 2.30 | 43.3 | 8.6% | 29.5% | 12.4% | 1976 | $1,056 | 32.6% | 95.0% | 3.7% |
| Somerset County | 2.18 | 46.3 | 9.1% | 22.6% | 19.0% | 1975 | $953 | 21.2% | 93.1% | 3.5% |
| Franklin County | 2.32 | 46.1 | 6.7% | 23.7% | 27.0% | 1974 | $810 | 33.2% | 94.0% | 5.3% |
| Washington County | 2.16 | 48.3 | 10.1% | 20.3% | 32.0% | 1974 | $824 | 24.7% | 91.0% | 6.2% |
| Orleans County | 2.26 | 46.1 | 8.9% | 20.3% | 24.7% | 1977 | $943 | 30.8% | 92.3% | 5.4% |
| Franklin County | 2.56 | 42.0 | 10.7% | 22.6% | 14.3% | 1976 | $1,258 | 30.1% | 93.6% | 3.3% |
| Grand Isle County | 2.38 | 49.9 | 4.6% | 10.1% | 38.7% | 1984 | $1,550 | 43.5% | 95.6% | 3.2% |
| Clinton County | 2.21 | 42.5 | 11.7% | 30.6% | 12.8% | 1974 | $1,006 | 27.8% | 88.9% | 4.3% |
| Franklin County | 2.21 | 42.2 | 13.0% | 27.5% | 19.6% | 1968 | $847 | 24.3% | 88.0% | 4.2% |
| Alpena County | 2.21 | 47.9 | 9.9% | 20.0% | 15.7% | 1967 | $766 | 17.8% | 92.5% | 6.2% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Shannon County, MO · Fulton County, IN · Fulton County, PA · Gage County, NE · Gaines County, TX · Gallatin County, KY · Garvin County, OK · Geneva County, AL · George County, MS · Fulton County, AR
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Piscataquis County. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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