Penobscot County, Maine

County Distress Index: Elevated · 53.5 | 155,312 people · 7th most distressed in Maine
American Default Research

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Penobscot County, ME registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 53.5 — 1331st nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where a large share of households spend more than 30% of income on housing. Within Maine, it ranks 7th of 16 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Penobscot County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 71.5 — above the national median.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 71.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 76
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 53
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 67
Homeownership Rate 69
Rent-to-Income Ratio 93
Employment & Wages 64.8
Unemployment Rate 38
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 89
Business Formation Rate 67
Community Vulnerability 57.0
Uninsured Rate 42
Disability Rate 72
Income & Poverty 38.3
Poverty Rate 42
Income vs. State Median 48
Child Poverty Rate 25
Debt & Delinquency 36.1
Debt in Collections 47
Medical Debt 66
Student Loan Delinquency 33
Auto Loan Delinquency 19
Credit Card Delinquency 42
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 10

Scores are percentile-based: 50 = national median, higher = more distressed. The median line is shown on each bar.

Neighbors and Peers

How Penobscot County compares to its 6 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Penobscot County
Penobscot County, ME 53.5 Elevated —
Washington County, ME 66.8 Serious +13.3
Piscataquis County, ME 63.1 Elevated +9.6
Somerset County, ME 58.7 Elevated +5.1
Aroostook County, ME 57.4 Elevated +3.8
Waldo County, ME 52.3 Elevated -1.2
Hancock County, ME 47.8 Normal -5.8

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Penobscot County
Vermilion Parish, LA 53.6 Elevated +0.0
Washington County, MD 53.5 Elevated -0.0
Montcalm County, MI 53.6 Elevated +0.0
Indiana County, PA 53.6 Elevated +0.0
Anderson County, SC 53.6 Elevated +0.0

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for Penobscot County as a CSV file.

Find Help in Penobscot County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Penobscot County.

FOUR DIRECTIONS DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION
Orono
207-866-6545 Website
Financial CounselingFinancial CounselingHome Improvement/RehabPost-Purchase
PENQUIS COMMUNITY ACTION PROGRAM
Bangor
207-973-3500 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingPre-PurchaseHomebuyer Education

See all counselors in Maine →

Find an Attorney

Maine State Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service offers a lawyer referral service for bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, and consumer rights.

Maine State Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service 207-622-7523

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Penobscot County residents at no cost.

Pine Tree Legal Assistance 207-774-8211

American Default Research does not endorse, rate, or rank any provider. Verify attorney credentials with your state bar.

Need legal help? Find a foreclosure defense attorney in Maine →

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Penobscot County, Maine?

    Penobscot County has a County Distress Index score of 53.5 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,331st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 7th in Maine out of 16 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Penobscot County?

    The primary driver of distress in Penobscot County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 71.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Penobscot County compare to neighboring counties?

    Penobscot County (53.5) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Washington County, ME (66.8); Piscataquis County, ME (63.1); Somerset County, ME (58.7).

  • How is the County Distress Index calculated?

    The County Distress Index uses percentile-rank averaging across five domains: Debt & Delinquency, Income & Poverty, Housing Cost Burden, Employment & Wages, and Community Vulnerability. Each county's indicators are ranked against all 3,144 U.S. counties. A score of 50 means the county is at the national median; higher scores indicate greater distress.

  • What is the population of Penobscot County?

    Penobscot County, Maine has a population of approximately 155,312 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.