County profile · Maine
Penobscot County, ME market data
Population, household spending and competition for 56 business types in Penobscot County, each scored against other counties.
- Population, 2025
- 157,967
- +3.8% since 2020
- Households
- 65,221
- Median household income
- $66,356
- +30.6% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Median home value
- $214,100
- Jobs located here
- 73,466
- Highest market score
- 74
- Clothing and shoe stores, #266 of 2,087 scored counties
A site report maps the competitors on map listings around any address in Penobscot County by name and distance, and the households and spending within reach. Or open the report at the center of Penobscot County. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardSurvey estimates 2020–2024 · population estimates 2025 · official business counts 2023 · map listings September 2026 · Data credits · How we measure
What this means
An estimated 157,967 people live in Penobscot County, in 65,221 households. Population estimates show Penobscot County grew 3.8% from 2020 to 2025, faster than the U.S. (+3.1%). The median household income in Penobscot County is $66,356 a year, 18% below the U.S. median of $80,734. That rose 30.6% from the 2015–2019 survey, before inflation.
Set against the U.S., households in Penobscot County spend the most on groceries (an index of 101, where 100 is the U.S. average) and the least on pets (64).
The highest Groundwork market scores in Penobscot County are for clothing and shoe stores (74), nail salons (73) and pizza places (69). Penobscot County ranks #266 of 2,087 scored counties for clothing and shoe stores.
Penobscot County is part of the Bangor metro area. For its number of households, Penobscot County has the most map listings, relative to the U.S., for convenience stores (2.3 times the U.S. rate) and the fewest for real estate agents and brokers (37% below the U.S. rate).
All 56 business types in Penobscot County
Highest Groundwork market score first. Each score compares Penobscot County with other counties for that business type, from 0 to 100. Spending per listing divides a whole spending line (all vehicle repairs, all eating out) by one type’s listings: the demand for each competitor, not a business’s revenue. Compare it across markets with its index, where 100 is the U.S. figure for the same type; the real estate types, whose line is all housing costs, show the index only. How the score works.
| Business type | Score | Rank among counties | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Spending per listing vs. U.S. (100) | Official establishments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clothing and shoe stores | 74 | #266 of 2,087 | 68 | 10.4 | $2M | 156 | 25 |
| Nail salons | 73 | #116 of 1,328 | 25 | 3.8 | $2.4M | 143 | 6 |
| Pizza | 69 | #349 of 2,090 | 44 | 6.7 | $5.3M | 105 | 89 |
| Fast food and sandwich shops | 69 | #410 of 2,222 | 71 | 10.9 | $3.3M | 108 | 89 |
| Clothing, shoes and laundry | 68 | #438 of 2,210 | 107 | 16.4 | $1.3M | 143 | 35 |
| HVAC and plumbing | 64 | #356 of 1,707 | 30 | 4.6 | $6.3M | 132 | 72 |
| Barbershops | 64 | #371 of 1,356 | 27 | 4.1 | $2.2M | 118 | 3 |
| Dry cleaners | 63 | #131 of 507 | 7 | 1.1 | $19.3M | 123 | Under 3 |
| Roofing and gutters | 62 | #322 of 1,177 | 17 | 2.6 | $11.1M | 131 | 17 |
| Funeral homes | 61 | #466 of 1,472 | 19 | 2.9 | $510K | 75 | 8 |
| Primary care and pediatrics | 61 | #489 of 1,656 | 36 | 5.5 | $2M | 112 | 57 |
| Sit-down restaurants | 61 | #704 of 2,405 | 274 | 42.0 | $856K | 129 | 113 |
| Restaurants and cafes | 61 | #722 of 2,405 | 555 | 85.1 | $423K | 114 | 252 |
| Chiropractors | 60 | #457 of 1,490 | 26 | 4.0 | $2.8M | 115 | 16 |
| Home repair trades | 59 | #621 of 2,057 | 67 | 10.3 | $2.8M | 115 | 151 |
| Yoga, Pilates and fitness studios | 58 | #238 of 777 | 12 | 1.8 | $4.2M | 103 | 15 |
| Real estate agents and brokers | 58 | #651 of 2,176 | 125 | 19.2 | Index only | 161 | 69 |
| Grocery stores | 58 | #760 of 2,070 | 50 | 7.7 | $8.3M | 90 | 30 |
| Mortgage brokers and lenders | 57 | #306 of 887 | 28 | 4.3 | Index only | 100 | 9 |
| Car washes and detailing | 55 | #597 of 1,451 | 24 | 3.7 | $2.4M | 94 | 9 |
| Spas and skin care | 55 | #705 of 1,769 | 57 | 8.7 | $1.1M | 120 | 14 |
| Collision repair and body shops | 54 | #572 of 1,327 | 19 | 2.9 | $3M | 97 | 15 |
| Hair salons | 54 | #985 of 2,339 | 153 | 23.5 | $391K | 91 | 25 |
| Martial arts and dance studios | 53 | #588 of 1,334 | 27 | 4.1 | $1.9M | 92 | 15 |
| Gyms | 52 | #858 of 1,792 | 53 | 8.1 | $945K | 73 | 15 |
| House cleaning | 51 | #381 of 847 | 9 | 1.4 | $8.6M | 134 | 50 |
| Salons, barbers and spas | 51 | #1,124 of 2,385 | 270 | 41.4 | $222K | 104 | 48 |
| Pest control | 50 | #348 of 699 | 8 | 1.2 | $9.6M | 94 | 8 |
| Real estate | 50 | #1,086 of 2,229 | 189 | 29.0 | Index only | 134 | 140 |
| Insurance agencies | 49 | #1,147 of 2,272 | 78 | 12.0 | $1.4M | 108 | 49 |
| Home inspectors | 48 | #213 of 415 | 7 | 1.1 | Index only | 60 | 4 |
| Coffee shops and cafes | 48 | #1,091 of 2,063 | 58 | 8.9 | $4M | 109 | 49 |
| Electricians | 47 | #657 of 1,160 | 20 | 3.1 | $9.4M | 78 | 62 |
| Laundromats | 46 | #436 of 785 | 12 | 1.8 | $11.3M | 90 | 10 |
| Gyms, studios and classes | 46 | #1,272 of 2,088 | 92 | 14.1 | $545K | 82 | 30 |
| Grocery and convenience stores | 46 | #1,373 of 2,402 | 198 | 30.4 | $2.1M | 62 | 62 |
| Bakeries and dessert shops | 43 | #1,178 of 1,889 | 57 | 8.7 | $4.1M | 99 | 56 |
| Convenience stores | 42 | #1,430 of 2,261 | 121 | 18.6 | $3.4M | 44 | 32 |
| Doctors, dentists and clinics | 42 | #1,598 of 2,394 | 467 | 71.6 | $154K | 101 | 168 |
| Property management | 41 | #610 of 910 | 29 | 4.4 | Index only | 68 | 43 |
| Optometrists and eye care | 40 | #917 of 1,302 | 30 | 4.6 | $2.4M | 76 | 13 |
| Veterinarians | 40 | #989 of 1,485 | 23 | 3.5 | $1.6M | 60 | 16 |
| Landscaping and lawn care | 40 | #1,008 of 1,493 | 38 | 5.8 | $2M | 69 | 66 |
| Dentists and orthodontists | 40 | #1,290 of 1,886 | 77 | 11.8 | $931K | 95 | 53 |
| Gas stations | 39 | #1,627 of 2,358 | 79 | 12.1 | $1.7M | 71 | 88 |
| Child care and preschools | 38 | #1,151 of 1,611 | 49 | 7.5 | $644K | 64 | 75 |
| Lawn, cleaning and pest control | 38 | #1,320 of 1,771 | 55 | 8.4 | $1.4M | 83 | 124 |
| Oil change and quick lube | 37 | #359 of 479 | 6 | 0.9 | $9.5M | 69 | 6 |
| Pet stores | 37 | #691 of 974 | 18 | 2.8 | $2.1M | 46 | 4 |
| Tire shops | 37 | #1,099 of 1,530 | 29 | 4.4 | $2M | 78 | 19 |
| Physical therapy | 33 | #1,157 of 1,422 | 49 | 7.5 | $1.5M | 61 | 29 |
| Auto repair shops | 27 | #2,124 of 2,378 | 199 | 30.5 | $286K | 64 | 87 |
| Auto repair and car care | 26 | #2,158 of 2,401 | 324 | 49.7 | $176K | 65 | 124 |
| Pet businesses | 21 | #2,102 of 2,200 | 102 | 15.6 | $370K | 42 | 46 |
| Pet grooming and boarding | 17 | #1,400 of 1,461 | 42 | 6.4 | $900K | 35 | 26 |
| Urgent care and walk-in clinics | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 0.3 | $35.8M | Too few | Under 3 |
Household spending in Penobscot County
What households here spend in a year on each line, in total and per household, with the index against the U.S. average (100).
| Spending line | A year, all households | Per household | Index vs. U.S. (100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle maintenance and repairs | $56.9M | $872 | 91 |
| Gasoline and other fuels | $134.2M | $2,058 | 79 |
| Food away from home | $234.6M | $3,597 | 88 |
| Groceries | $415.9M | $6,377 | 101 |
| Personal care products and services | $59.9M | $918 | 91 |
| Child care and other personal services | $31.5M | $484 | 83 |
| Memberships, classes and admissions | $50.1M | $768 | 78 |
| Medical and dental services | $71.7M | $1,099 | 85 |
| Pets | $37.8M | $579 | 64 |
| Clothing, shoes and related services | $135M | $2,070 | 101 |
| Vehicle insurance | $105.7M | $1,621 | 83 |
| Home repairs, maintenance and insurance | $187.9M | $2,881 | 95 |
| Lawn care, cleaning and other household services | $77M | $1,181 | 84 |
| Rent and homeowner costs | $1.1B | $16,811 | 101 |
Household spending is estimated from the incomes of the households in each neighborhood, using what households at each income spent nationally in 2024, adjusted for the region. It counts what residents spend, wherever they spend it.
Population and households in Penobscot County
- Population, 2025 estimate
- 157,967+3.8% since 2020
- Households
- 65,221
- Median age
- 43.4
- Homes lived in by their owners
- 71%
- Vehicles per household
- 1.8
- Land area
- 3,397 sq. mi.
- People per square mile
- 46
- Median household income
- $66,356+30.6% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Average household income
- $88,290
- Median home value
- $214,100
- Jobs located here
- 73,466
- Daytime population
- 158,403Residents who don’t work, plus everyone whose job is here
Looking at a specific site in Penobscot County?
These figures cover the whole county. A site report draws rings around one address and counts what’s inside them: households, spending, jobs, and the competitors on map listings by name and distance, for any of the 56 business types.
Or open the report at the center of Penobscot County. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardRelated markets
Nearest counties in Maine 8
- Piscataquis County, ME17,263 people
- Waldo County, ME40,192 people
- Hancock County, ME56,460 people
- Somerset County, ME50,959 people
- Knox County, ME41,003 people
- Kennebec County, ME126,808 people
- Washington County, ME31,331 people
- Franklin County, ME30,413 people
Questions
How fast is Penobscot County, ME growing?
Population estimates put Penobscot County at 157,967 people in 2025, up 3.8% since 2020, faster than the U.S. (+3.1%). It has 65,221 households. Against the 2015–2019 survey, median household income rose 30.6%, before inflation.
How much do households in Penobscot County, ME spend?
Households in Penobscot County spend about $1.1B a year on rent and homeowner costs, $415.9M on groceries and $234.6M on food away from home. Relative to the U.S., household spending in Penobscot County runs highest on groceries (an index of 101, where 100 is the U.S. average) and lowest on pets (64).
Which business types have the highest market scores in Penobscot County, ME?
Of the business types scored in Penobscot County, clothing and shoe stores (74), nail salons (73) and pizza places (69) have the highest Groundwork market scores. For clothing and shoe stores, that ranks #266 of 2,087 scored counties.
How does Penobscot County, ME compare with the U.S.?
Median household income in Penobscot County is $66,356, 18% below the U.S. median of $80,734. The population rose 3.8% from 2020 to 2025, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median home value is $214,100, against $332,700 for the U.S. Against the U.S., map listings per household run highest for convenience stores (2.3 times the U.S. rate) and lowest for real estate agents and brokers (37% below the U.S. rate).
What is the Groundwork market score?
The Groundwork market score runs from 0 to 100 and compares a market with others of its kind for one business type: states with states, metro areas with metro areas, small-town markets and counties with their own. It weighs household spending per competitor (35%), households per business with payroll (25%), population growth (20%) and spending power (20%), each ranked against those peers. A higher score means that, taken together, the market has more household spending and more households for each business already there, faster population growth and more spending per household than similar markets. It describes a market, not any one site or deal. 55 of the 56 business types have a score in Penobscot County, each ranked against other counties.
How can I see the market around a specific site?
Run a Groundwork site report on an address in Penobscot County. It maps the competitors on map listings near the site and sizes the households and spending within the distance you choose. New accounts get 10 actions over 3 days, no card.
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Screening a site or an acquisition in Penobscot County?
A site report maps the competitors on map listings near an address and sizes the households and spending around it.
The button opens the report at the center of Penobscot County. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are estimates for research only. Not investment or real estate advice.