Waldo County, Maine

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has an area of 853 sqmi, of which 730 sqmi is land and 123 sqmi (14%) is water.

Adjacent counties

• Penobscot County – northeast
• Hancock County – east
• Knox County – south
• Lincoln County – southwest
• Kennebec County – west
• Somerset County – northwest

National protected area

• Carlton Pond Waterfowl Production Area

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 39,607. Of the residents, 18.5% were under the age of 18 and 24.2% were 65 years of age or older; the median age was 47.3 years. For every 100 females there were 96.8 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 94.8 males. 9.5% of residents lived in urban areas and 90.5% lived in rural areas.

The racial makeup of the county was 93.7% White, 0.4% Black or African American, 0.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% Asian, 0.0% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 0.6% from some other race, and 4.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 1.4% of the population.

There were 17,143 households in the county, of which 23.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 24.5% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 29.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 21,921 housing units, of which 21.8% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 78.4% were owner-occupied and 21.6% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.3% and the rental vacancy rate was 8.1%.

2010 census

As of the 2010 United States census, there were 38,786 people, 16,431 households, and 10,627 families living in the county.{{cite web |access-date=January 21, 2016 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213022948/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/DPDP1/0500000US23027 |archive-date=February 13, 2020 |url-status=dead |access-date=January 21, 2016 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213162637/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/GCTPH1.CY07/0500000US23027 |archive-date=February 13, 2020 |url-status=dead |access-date=January 21, 2016 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213034116/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP02/0500000US23027 |archive-date=February 13, 2020 |url-status=dead

Of the 16,431 households, 27.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.0% were married couples living together, 9.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 35.3% were non-families, and 27.7% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.33 and the average family size was 2.81. The median age was 44.1 years.

The county's median household income was $41,312 and the median family income was $50,222. Males had a median income of $38,960 versus $30,321 for females. The county's per capita income was $22,213. About 10.2% of families and 14.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.9% of those under age 18 and 11.6% of those age 65 or over.{{cite web |access-date=January 21, 2016 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213022409/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP03/0500000US23027 |archive-date=February 13, 2020 |url-status=dead

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 36,280 people, 14,726 households, and 10,057 families living in the county. The population density was 50 /mi2. There were 18,904 housing units at an average density of 26 /mi2. The racial makeup of the county was 97.89% White, 0.19% Black or African American, 0.40% Native American, 0.21% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.16% from other races, and 1.15% from two or more races. 0.59% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 24.8% were of English, 14.7% United States or American, 12.7% Irish, 8.5% French and 5.6% German ancestry. 97.1% spoke English and 1.5% French as their first language.

There were 14,726 households, out of which 30.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.20% were married couples living together, 9.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.70% were non-families. 24.90% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.60% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 2.88.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 24.20% under the age of 18, 7.50% from 18 to 24, 27.80% from 25 to 44, 26.80% from 45 to 64, and 13.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 96.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.80 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $33,986, and the median income for a family was $40,402. Males had a median income of $29,644 versus $23,816 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,438. About 10.90% of families and 13.90% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.60% of those under age 18 and 12.20% of those age 65 or over.

Politics

Prior to the late 20th century, Waldo County was a solidly Republican county, going for the Democratic nominee only once between 1920 and 1988 — the one Democratic victory was Lyndon B. Johnson's landslide victory in 1964.

Waldo was one of a handful of counties nationwide that voted for independent Ross Perot in 1992. In each election since 2004, Waldo County has been won by a Democrat, but never with more than 55% of the vote.

It is the only one of the three Maine counties that voted Perot for president in 1992 that did not vote for Donald Trump in any of his presidential runs, supporting Democrats since the early 21st century. Trump only lost the county by 62 votes in 2016, but lost it by larger margins in 2020 and in 2024.

Voter registration

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Communities

City

• Belfast (county seat)

Towns

• Belmont
• Brooks
• Burnham
• Frankfort
• Freedom
• Islesboro
• Jackson
• Knox
• Liberty
• Lincolnville
• Monroe
• Montville
• Morrill
• Northport
• Palermo
• Prospect
• Searsmont
• Searsport
• Stockton Springs
• Swanville
• Thorndike
• Troy
• Unity
• Waldo
• Winterport

Census-designated places

• Searsport
• Unity
• Winterport

Other unincorporated villages

• East Thorndike
• East Troy
• Sandy Point

Education

K-12 school districts include:

• Islesboro School District
• Northport Public Schools
• Regional School Unit 12
• Regional School Unit 20
• Regional School Unit 22
• Regional School Unit 25
• Regional School Unit 71
• School Administrative District 03
• School Administrative District 53

There is also an elementary school district, Lincolnville School District, and a secondary school district, Five Town Community School District.

Cultural references

Waldo County features in Nathaniel Hawthorne's classic novel The House of the Seven Gables as the site of extensive landholdings once claimed by the formerly aristocratic Pyncheon family.

Notable people

• Emily Browne Powell (1847-1938), writer; president, Pacific Coast Women's Press Association

References

References

1. "Waldo County, Maine".
2. "Census - Geography Profile: Waldo County, Maine". [[United States Census Bureau]].
3. "Find a County". National Association of Counties.
4. Coolidge, Austin J.. (1859). "A History and Description of New England". A.J. Coolidge.
5. [https://archive.today/20120908134016/http://history.rays-place.com/me/waldo-cty-me.htm History of Waldo County, Maine]. From ''A Gazetteer of the State of Maine''. By George J. Varney. Published by B. B. Russell, 57 Cornhill, Boston 1886. Accessed April 24, 2019, via Ray's Place website.
6. (August 22, 2012). "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau.
7. "County Population Totals and Components of Change: 2020-2024". United States Census Bureau.
8. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau.
9. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library.
10. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau.
11. "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000". United States Census Bureau.
12. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau.
13. "QuickFacts. Waldo County, Maine.". United States Census Bureau.
14. (2023). "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)".
15. (2021). "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)".
16. (2021). "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)".
17. "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Waldo County, Maine". [[United States Census Bureau]].
18. "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Waldo County, Maine".
19. "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Waldo County, Maine".
20. "U.S. Census website". [[United States Census Bureau]].
21. "Registered & Enrolled Voters Statewide".
22. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections".
23. Geography Division. (January 14, 2021). "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Waldo County, ME". [[U.S. Census Bureau]].
24. Griffiths, Thomas Morgan. (1943). ""Montpelier" and "Seven Gables" Knox's Estate and Hawthorne's Novel". The New England Quarterly.