Population 40,192 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Waldo County
Household size in Waldo County
| Period | Waldo County | Maine | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.39 | 2.37 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.32 | 2.36 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.27 | 2.35 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.28 | 2.30 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.11 | −0.07 | −0.03 |
Households in Waldo County are small: just 2.28 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home. Household size has dropped from 2.39 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 Waldo County
| Period | Waldo County | Maine | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 43.0 | 42.1 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 45.0 | 43.5 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 46.3 | 45.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 46.9 | 45.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | +4.0 | +2.9 | +2.3 |
Waldo County skews older: half of its residents are older than 46.9, 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 43.0 in 2006–10, as it has nationally.
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 Waldo County
| Period | Waldo County | Maine | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.9% | 10.1% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 10.3% | 10.1% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 11.1% | 9.4% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 8.4% | 8.8% | 11.6% |
| Change | −3.5 pts | −1.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Waldo County: 8.4% of households, against 11.6% nationally. Maine as a whole looks much the same. The single-parent share is down 3.5 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 Waldo County
Renters in Waldo County
| Period | Waldo County | Maine | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 20.7% | 26.9% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 22.3% | 28.6% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 20.8% | 27.7% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 18.1% | 25.7% | 34.8% |
| Change | −2.6 pts | −1.2 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 18.1% of households in Waldo County rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. Nearly half of owners (46.8%) have paid off their mortgages, above the national share of 39.8%. The renter share has fallen 2.6 points since 2006–10, even as the national share rose. Only one other Maine county has a lower share of renters.
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 Waldo County
| Period | Waldo County | Maine | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 21.9% | 17.8% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 21.0% | 18.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 20.5% | 19.0% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 20.1% | 16.4% | 9.6% |
| Change | −1.7 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Waldo County: 20.1% 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. Vacancy is down 1.7 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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 Waldo County
| Period | Waldo County | Maine | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1971 | 1969 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1979 | 1971 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1981 | 1973 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1983 | 1975 | 1980 |
| Change | +12 | +6 | +6 |
The typical home in Waldo County was built around 1983, about the same vintage as the country's housing overall (1980). Homes here are newer than in Maine overall, where the median home dates to 1975. Newer construction is concentrated in the west, while the southeast has the oldest housing. Waldo County has the newest homes of any Maine county.
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 Waldo County
| Period | Waldo County | Maine | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $695 | $766 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $749 | $831 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $812 | $919 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,085 | $1,230 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$390 | +$464 | +$606 |
Rent in Waldo County runs $1,085 a month at the median, utilities included, well below the U.S. median of $1,571. Rents are up $390 a month from 2006–10, a 56% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 26.1% of the typical renter's income, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the southwest; the highest are in the east.
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 Waldo County
Bachelor's degrees in Waldo County
| Period | Waldo County | Maine | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 23.2% | 27.0% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 28.7% | 28.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 30.8% | 32.0% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 34.2% | 36.5% | 35.6% |
| Change | +11.0 pts | +9.5 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are about as common in Waldo County as nationally: 34.2% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 11.0 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. College graduates are most concentrated in the southeast and least in the northwest.
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 Waldo County
| Period | Waldo County | Maine | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 90.3% | 89.9% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 91.8% | 91.4% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 91.8% | 92.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 93.3% | 94.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +2.9 pts | +4.8 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Waldo County is above the national rate: 93.3% of adults have a diploma, against 89.3%. That is in line with the rest of Maine. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 2.9 points, in line with the national trend.
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 Waldo County
| Period | Waldo County | Maine | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.7% | 6.6% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 8.6% | 7.6% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.6% | 4.2% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.5% | 3.9% | 5.4% |
| Change | −4.2 pts | −2.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Waldo County runs below the national rate: 3.5% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 4.2 points, mirroring the country. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's 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).
Waldo 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waldo County | 2.28 | 46.9 | 8.4% | 18.1% | 20.1% | 1983 | $1,085 | 34.2% | 93.3% | 3.5% |
| Hancock County | 2.17 | 47.7 | 6.9% | 21.5% | 34.0% | 1980 | $1,187 | 40.2% | 95.7% | 4.8% |
| Kennebec County | 2.30 | 43.6 | 11.7% | 26.3% | 12.8% | 1973 | $1,062 | 31.8% | 94.6% | 4.4% |
| Coos County | 2.09 | 49.1 | 8.6% | 25.8% | 24.2% | 1962 | $892 | 20.3% | 90.9% | 4.5% |
| Caledonia County | 2.27 | 45.5 | 12.0% | 20.8% | 16.9% | 1967 | $964 | 32.8% | 93.6% | 2.0% |
| Lamoille County | 2.16 | 43.1 | 12.3% | 27.1% | 14.9% | 1982 | $1,220 | 44.5% | 93.7% | 3.1% |
| Chittenden County | 2.24 | 39.6 | 7.4% | 36.1% | 5.7% | 1978 | $1,668 | 58.5% | 95.5% | 3.2% |
| Iosco County | 2.19 | 51.9 | 8.7% | 17.9% | 36.3% | 1972 | $791 | 19.5% | 90.5% | 6.7% |
| Roscommon County | 2.07 | 55.0 | 7.0% | 14.6% | 43.5% | 1977 | $811 | 20.0% | 91.7% | 4.8% |
| Missaukee County | 2.57 | 43.5 | 6.5% | 15.1% | 27.7% | 1981 | $930 | 18.4% | 90.8% | 6.6% |
| Wexford County | 2.47 | 42.9 | 11.1% | 19.1% | 15.1% | 1979 | $1,054 | 21.0% | 89.9% | 5.7% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Washington Parish, LA · Fulton County, OH · Gadsden County, FL · Geary County, KS · Gibson County, IN · Giles County, TN · Gilmer County, GA · Gloucester County, VA · Goodhue County, MN · Graham County, AZ
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 Waldo 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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