Overview
Aroostook County covers more land than Connecticut and Rhode Island combined, yet holds only 67,227 residents (Census ACS 5-Year, 2023). It's the largest county by area east of the Mississippi and one of Maine's most rural. Median household income of $54,254 (Census ACS 5-Year, 2023) ranks near the bottom quarter of Maine counties and below roughly 76% of counties nationwide. The poverty rate sits at 14% (Census ACS 5-Year, 2023), above 42% of U.S. counties. The county's economy runs on potato farming, forestry, and a modest service sector, with the University of Maine at Presque Isle as an anchor institution.
Demographics
At 48.4 years, the median age is among the oldest in Maine and older than 89% of U.S. counties (Census ACS 5-Year, 2023). The population is 92.9% white, 1.3% Native American, 0.7% Black, 1.6% Hispanic or Latino, and 0.4% Asian (Census ACS 5-Year, 2023). The Native American share, at 1.3%, ranks higher than 87% of U.S. counties, reflecting the Aroostook Band of Micmacs and the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians, both federally recognized tribes with significant presence in the county.
Only 22.4% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher (Census ACS 5-Year, 2023), below about 46% of counties nationally. Short commutes average 17.5 minutes (Census ACS 5-Year, 2023), among the shortest in Maine, reflecting the rural character and proximity of work to home.
Education
Schools enrolled 8,865 students (Education Data Portal, 2021). Per-pupil spending of $20,179 (Education Data Portal, 2020) is above the national average, ranking in the top 15% nationwide. The student-teacher ratio of 11.7:1 (Education Data Portal, 2021) is well below the national average, putting class sizes in the bottom 19% nationally.
The graduation rate of 81.7% (Education Data Portal, 2019) falls below the national average and ranks in the bottom 21% of U.S. counties. Like other rural Maine counties, Aroostook invests above-average resources per student but doesn't see those dollars translate to completion rates that match the spending level.
Economy & Employment
The labor force totals 29,053, with 27,789 employed and an unemployment rate of 4.4% (BLS LAUS, Annual 2025). That unemployment rate is above the national average and falls above about 68% of U.S. counties.
Median household income of $54,254 (Census ACS 5-Year, 2023) ranks in the bottom 24% nationally. Per capita income is $33,136 (Census ACS 5-Year, 2023), above 46% of counties. IRS data shows average adjusted gross income of $53,804 across 31,990 tax returns (IRS Statistics of Income, 2021), total AGI of $1.72 billion.
Agriculture remains central to the local economy. Potato production in Aroostook is among the highest of any county in the eastern United States, and the seasonal nature of that work shapes both employment patterns and income levels.
Housing & Cost of Living
Median home value is $131,700 (Census ACS 5-Year, 2023), well below the national median and in the bottom 26% of U.S. counties. Median gross rent runs $736 per month (Census ACS 5-Year, 2023), below 78% of counties nationally.
The county has 38,444 total housing units with 8,760 vacant, producing a vacancy rate of 22.8% (Census ACS 5-Year, 2023). That high vacancy rate ranks among the top 22% nationally and reflects both seasonal housing (camps, seasonal rentals) and ongoing population decline.
Home values at 2.4 times annual household income make this one of the more affordable markets in Maine. Rents consume roughly 16.3% of median monthly household income (derived). Housing is genuinely affordable here by any standard measure, though wages are low enough that affordability still has limits for the poorest households.
Health & Wellness
Obesity stands at 40% (CDC PLACES, 2023), higher than about 32% of U.S. counties. High blood pressure affects 34.4% of adults (CDC PLACES, 2023), above 63% of counties nationally. Diabetes affects 10.7% (CDC PLACES, 2023), above roughly 52% of counties.
Poor physical health days are reported by 15.3% (CDC PLACES, 2023), higher than about 77% of counties. Poor mental health days affect 21.1% (CDC PLACES, 2023), above 90% of counties. Depression prevalence is 27.9% (CDC PLACES, 2023), above 87% of U.S. counties.
The uninsured rate of 10.1% (CDC PLACES, 2023) is above 55% of U.S. counties. Annual checkup rates of 78.5% (CDC PLACES, 2023) are above 63% of counties, a bright spot in the otherwise stressed health picture. Cholesterol screening reaches 82.4% (CDC PLACES, 2023).
Climate & Natural Disasters
Aroostook County averages 40.1°F annually, with highs around 50.2°F and lows near 30.0°F (NOAA Climate Data Online, 2025). The county is colder than 98% of U.S. counties. Annual precipitation totals 37.3 inches (NOAA Climate Data Online, 2025), below about 52% of counties. Snowfall reaches 100.7 inches annually (NOAA Climate Data Online, 2025), more than 97% of U.S. counties. Winter dominates life here in a way that's genuinely different from most of the country.
FEMA records show 24 unique declared disasters (FEMA OpenFEMA, 2026). The most recent was a hurricane emergency declaration on September 14, 2023. By type: 9 snowstorms, 6 floods, 4 severe storms, 2 hurricanes, 2 biological emergencies, and 1 freezing event. Three declarations came since 2020.
The snowstorm record is notable: nine declarations, more than any other single type. Aroostook's extreme snowfall totals make severe winter storm events a persistent hazard, compounded by the county's remoteness from emergency infrastructure.
Financial Profile
Total adjusted gross income reached $1.72 billion from 31,990 tax returns (IRS Statistics of Income, 2021). Average AGI was $53,804, ranking in the bottom 27% nationally. Average total income per return was $54,399.
The county has just 2 FDIC-insured bank branches holding $165 million in deposits (FDIC Summary of Deposits, 2023). That branch count ranks near the bottom nationally, well below 93% of U.S. counties. Banking access is sparse across a geographically vast county, and credit union and online banking likely fill much of the gap.
Social Security beneficiaries total 21,535 (SSA OASDI, 2024), about 32% of the population. Nearly one in three residents receives Social Security.
Key Comparisons
Aroostook sits at or near the bottom of Maine county rankings on income, with median household income ranking 6th among Maine's 16 counties (from the bottom). The poverty rate is above the median statewide.
The 100.7 inches of annual snowfall is the defining climate fact. It places Aroostook among a small number of U.S. counties that regularly receive more than eight feet of snow per year, which shapes infrastructure costs, seasonal employment, and daily life.
Housing costs are low, but the income base is also low. The 2.4x home-value-to-income ratio signals genuine affordability, but the 4.4% unemployment rate and below-average wages constrain purchasing power for many households.
Mental health and physical health metrics both run above national averages for poor outcomes. The combination of an aging population, geographic isolation, economic stress, and harsh winters creates compounding pressures that straightforward data comparisons don't fully capture.
Data Sources
- Census ACS 5-Year, 2023: Population, income, housing, demographics, education attainment, commute times, poverty
- BLS LAUS, Annual 2025: Employment and unemployment
- CDC PLACES, 2023: Health outcomes and preventive care
- FEMA OpenFEMA, 2026: Disaster declarations
- IRS Statistics of Income, 2021: Tax return data and income
- FDIC Summary of Deposits, 2023: Bank branches and deposits
- NOAA Climate Data Online, 2025: Temperature and precipitation
- SSA OASDI, 2024: Social Security beneficiaries
- Education Data Portal, 2019/2020/2021: School enrollment, spending, staffing, graduation rates