Most rural counties in Maine
Most rural counties in Maine
A surprising number of U.S. counties have 100% rural land—702, in fact. Stacker compiled a list of the most rural counties in Maine using data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Counties are ranked by the percent of land area that is rural, as of the 2010 Census, with ties broken by residents per square mile, according to 2019 5-year population estimates.
According to the Census Bureau, rural land encompasses any land that isn't an urban area. To be considered an urban area, a place has to have a densely settled core of census tracts or blocks and count at least 2,500 people, at least 1,500 of whom must be residents of non-institutional buildings. Areas with 50,000 people or more are considered urbanized areas, while areas with between 2,500 and 50,000 people are considered urban clusters.
#16. Cumberland County
- Rural area: 84.6% (707 square miles)
- Urban area: 15.4% (129 square miles)
- Total land area: 835 square miles
--- #11 largest county in state, #1,004 nationwide
- Population density: 350.0 people / square mile (292,307 residents)
--- #16 lowest density county in state, #2,780 nationwide
#15. Androscoggin County
- Rural area: 92.2% (432 square miles)
- Urban area: 7.8% (36 square miles)
- Total land area: 468 square miles
--- #13 largest county in state, #2,201 nationwide
- Population density: 230.0 people / square mile (107,602 residents)
--- #15 lowest density county in state, #2,642 nationwide
#14. York County
- Rural area: 93.5% (926 square miles)
- Urban area: 6.5% (65 square miles)
- Total land area: 991 square miles
--- #9 largest county in state, #690 nationwide
- Population density: 206.2 people / square mile (204,316 residents)
--- #14 lowest density county in state, #2,606 nationwide
#13. Sagadahoc County
- Rural area: 96.2% (244 square miles)
- Urban area: 3.8% (10 square miles)
- Total land area: 254 square miles
--- #16 largest county in state, #2,898 nationwide
- Population density: 139.7 people / square mile (35,452 residents)
--- #12 lowest density county in state, #2,442 nationwide
#12. Kennebec County
- Rural area: 96.3% (835 square miles)
- Urban area: 3.7% (32 square miles)
- Total land area: 868 square miles
--- #10 largest county in state, #945 nationwide
- Population density: 140.3 people / square mile (121,753 residents)
--- #13 lowest density county in state, #2,445 nationwide
#11. Knox County
- Rural area: 97.5% (356 square miles)
- Urban area: 2.5% (9 square miles)
- Total land area: 365 square miles
--- #15 largest county in state, #2,641 nationwide
- Population density: 108.9 people / square mile (39,759 residents)
--- #11 lowest density county in state, #2,316 nationwide
#10. Penobscot County
- Rural area: 98.7% (3,353 square miles)
- Urban area: 1.3% (44 square miles)
- Total land area: 3,397 square miles
--- #4 largest county in state, #146 nationwide
- Population density: 44.7 people / square mile (151,774 residents)
--- #8 lowest density county in state, #1,570 nationwide
#9. Waldo County
- Rural area: 99.6% (727 square miles)
- Urban area: 0.4% (3 square miles)
- Total land area: 730 square miles
--- #12 largest county in state, #1,214 nationwide
- Population density: 54.2 people / square mile (39,539 residents)
--- #9 lowest density county in state, #1,759 nationwide
#8. Oxford County
- Rural area: 99.7% (2,070 square miles)
- Urban area: 0.3% (6 square miles)
- Total land area: 2,077 square miles
--- #6 largest county in state, #274 nationwide
- Population density: 27.7 people / square mile (57,550 residents)
--- #6 lowest density county in state, #1,140 nationwide
#7. Hancock County
- Rural area: 99.7% (1,582 square miles)
- Urban area: 0.3% (4 square miles)
- Total land area: 1,587 square miles
--- #8 largest county in state, #382 nationwide
- Population density: 34.4 people / square mile (54,601 residents)
--- #7 lowest density county in state, #1,325 nationwide
#6. Franklin County
- Rural area: 99.8% (1,693 square miles)
- Urban area: 0.2% (3 square miles)
- Total land area: 1,697 square miles
--- #7 largest county in state, #355 nationwide
- Population density: 17.7 people / square mile (29,982 residents)
--- #5 lowest density county in state, #815 nationwide
#5. Somerset County
- Rural area: 99.8% (3,918 square miles)
- Urban area: 0.2% (6 square miles)
- Total land area: 3,924 square miles
--- #3 largest county in state, #124 nationwide
- Population density: 12.9 people / square mile (50,520 residents)
--- #4 lowest density county in state, #668 nationwide
#4. Aroostook County
- Rural area: 99.9% (6,662 square miles)
- Urban area: 0.1% (10 square miles)
- Total land area: 6,671 square miles
--- #1 largest county in state, #47 nationwide
- Population density: 10.2 people / square mile (67,809 residents)
--- #2 lowest density county in state, #583 nationwide
#3. Washington County
- Rural area: 99.9% (2,561 square miles)
- Urban area: 0.1% (2 square miles)
- Total land area: 2,563 square miles
--- #5 largest county in state, #211 nationwide
- Population density: 12.3 people / square mile (31,491 residents)
--- #3 lowest density county in state, #643 nationwide
#2. Lincoln County
- Rural area: 100.0% (456 square miles)
- Urban area: 0.0% (0 square miles)
- Total land area: 456 square miles
--- #14 largest county in state, #2,247 nationwide
- Population density: 75.0 people / square mile (34,201 residents)
--- #10 lowest density county in state, #2,038 nationwide
#1. Piscataquis County
- Rural area: 100.0% (3,961 square miles)
- Urban area: 0.0% (0 square miles)
- Total land area: 3,961 square miles
--- #2 largest county in state, #123 nationwide
- Population density: 4.3 people / square mile (16,836 residents)
--- #1 lowest density county in state, #331 nationwide
