Oxford County, Maine

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 2176 sqmi, of which 2077 sqmi is land and 99 sqmi (4.5%) is water.

Adjacent counties and municipalities

• Franklin County – northeast
• Androscoggin County – east
• Cumberland County – southeast
• York County – south
• Carroll County, New Hampshire – southwest
• Coös County, New Hampshire – west
• Le Granit Regional County Municipality, Quebec – north

National protected areas

• Umbagog National Wildlife Refuge (part)
• White Mountain National Forest (part)

Demographics

|align-fn=center 1790–1960 1900–1990 1990–2000 2010–2016 2018

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 57,777. Of the residents, 19.3% were under the age of 18 and 22.8% were 65 years of age or older; the median age was 47.6 years. For every 100 females there were 98.6 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 96.9 males. 17.2% of residents lived in urban areas and 82.8% lived in rural areas.

The racial makeup of the county was 93.1% White, 0.4% Black or African American, 0.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% Asian, 0.0% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 0.5% from some other race, and 5.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 1.5% of the population.

There were 24,712 households in the county, of which 25.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 24.2% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 29.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 36,130 housing units, of which 31.6% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 76.1% were owner-occupied and 23.9% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.0% and the rental vacancy rate was 6.5%.

Ancestries

As of 2015, the largest self-reported ancestry groups in Oxford County, Maine were:

2010 census

At the 2010 census, there were 57,833 people, 24,300 households, and 15,781 families living in the county.{{cite web |access-date=January 21, 2016 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213013318/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/DPDP1/0500000US23017 |archive-date=February 13, 2020 |url-status=dead |access-date=January 21, 2016 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213184905/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/GCTPH1.CY07/0500000US23017 |archive-date=February 13, 2020 |url-status=dead |access-date=January 21, 2016 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213033406/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP02/0500000US23017 |archive-date=February 13, 2020 |url-status=dead

Of the 24,300 households, 28.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.0% were married couples living together, 10.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 35.1% were non-families, and 27.1% of households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 2.81. The median age was 44.6 years.

The median household income was $39,748 and the median family income was $48,000. Males had a median income of $37,892 versus $30,187 for females. The per capita income for the county was $21,254. About 9.6% of families and 13.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.6% of those under age 18 and 12.2% of those age 65 or over.{{cite web |access-date=January 21, 2016 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213032027/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP03/0500000US23017 |archive-date=February 13, 2020 |url-status=dead

2000 census

At the 2000 census there were 54,755 people, 22,314 households, and 15,173 families living in the county. The population density was 26 /mi2. There were 32,295 housing units at an average density of 16 /mi2. The racial makeup of the county was 98.25% White, 0.17% Black or African American, 0.28% Native American, 0.37% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.11% from other races, and 0.80% from two or more races. 0.53% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 23.6% were of English, 13.9% French, 13.7% United States or American, 10.1% Irish and 8.4% French Canadian ancestry according to Census 2000. 95.9% spoke English and 2.6% French as their first language. Of the 22,314 households 30.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.10% were married couples living together, 9.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.00% were non-families. 25.60% of households were one person and 11.00% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 2.87.

The age distribution was 24.20% under the age of 18, 6.50% from 18 to 24, 27.80% from 25 to 44, 25.50% from 45 to 64, and 16.10% 65 or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 95.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.70 males.

The median household income was $33,435 and the median family income was $39,794. Males had a median income of $30,641 versus $21,233 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,945. About 8.30% of families and 11.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.80% of those under age 18 and 10.10% of those age 65 or over.

Politics

From 1880 to 1988, Oxford County was dominated by the Republican Party in presidential elections, only failing to back a Republican candidate in 1912 (the county backed Progressive Theodore Roosevelt, who was a former Republican), 1964 (backing Democrat Lyndon B. Johnson, who won every county in Maine in a 46-state landslide), and 1968 (backing Democrat Hubert Humphrey, who had chosen Oxford County native Edmund Muskie as his running mate). The county flipped in 1992 to become consistently Democratic like the rest of Maine, staying that way through 2012. However, it made a 27.8 point swing (the largest statewide) to back Republican Donald Trump in 2016 as he won Maine's second congressional district containing the county. Trump retained the county in 2020 and again in 2024, each time at increasing margins.

Voter registration

Recreation

Oxford County is home to many summer camps. Some of these camps are Camp Wekeela, Kamp Kohut, Camp Wyonegonic, Forest Acres Camp for Girls and Maine Teen Camp.

Communities

Towns

• Andover
• Bethel
• Brownfield
• Buckfield
• Byron
• Canton
• Denmark
• Dixfield
• Fryeburg
• Gilead
• Greenwood
• Hanover
• Hartford
• Hebron
• Hiram
• Lovell
• Mexico
• Newry
• Norway
• Otisfield
• Oxford
• Paris (county seat)
• Peru
• Porter
• Roxbury
• Rumford
• Stoneham
• Stow
• Sumner
• Sweden
• Upton
• Waterford
• West Paris
• Woodstock

Plantations

• Lincoln Plantation
• Magalloway (former)

Unorganized territories

• North Oxford
• South Oxford
• Milton

Census-designated places

• Bethel
• Dixfield
• Fryeburg
• Kezar Falls
• Mexico
• Norway
• Oxford
• Rumford
• South Paris

Other unincorporated communities

• Center Lovell
• Dickvale
• Magalloway
• North Waterford
• Waterford Flat
• West Bethel

Education

School districts include:

• Andover Public Schools
• Byron Public Schools
• Gilead School District
• Lincoln Plantation School District
• Upton School District
• Regional School Unit 10
• Regional School Unit 56
• Regional School Unit 78
• School Administrative District 17
• School Administrative District 44
• School Administrative District 55
• School Administrative District 72

There is also the Oxford Unorganized Territory. The Maine Department of Education takes responsibility for coordinating school assignments in the unorganized territory.

References

References

1. "Census - Geography Profile: Oxford County, Maine". [[United States Census Bureau]].
2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties.
3. (August 22, 2012). "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau.
4. "County Population Totals and Components of Change: 2020-2024". United States Census Bureau.
5. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau.
6. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library.
7. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau.
8. "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000". United States Census Bureau.
9. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau.
10. "QuickFacts. Oxford County, Maine.". United States Census Bureau.
11. (2023). "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)".
12. (2021). "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)".
13. (2021). "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)".
14. "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Oxford County, Maine". [[United States Census Bureau]].
15. "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Oxford County, Maine".
16. "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Oxford County, Maine".
17. "American FactFinder - Results".
18. "U.S. Census website". [[United States Census Bureau]].
19. "Here's a map of the US counties that flipped to Trump from Democrats".
20. "Pivot Counties in Maine". [[ballotpedia.org]].
21. "Registered & Enrolled Voters Statewide".
22. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections".
23. Geography Division. (December 21, 2020). "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Oxford County, ME". [[U.S. Census Bureau]].
24. "Education In Unorganized Territory (EUT)". [[Maine Department of Education]].
25. "Education in the Unorganized Territory - Find Your School". [[Maine Department of Education]].