Penobscot County, Maine

County Distress Index: Normal · 49.1 | 155,312 people · 5th most distressed in Maine
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Penobscot County, ME falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 49.1 — 1637th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Economic Vitality, where wages are low relative to housing costs, business formation lags, and the local economy lacks dynamism. Within Maine, it ranks 5th of 16 counties. Its score is in the middle of its 6 neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Penobscot County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 82.0 — worse than roughly 82% of U.S. counties.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 82.0
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 89
Rent-to-Income Ratio 93
Business Formation Rate 67
House Price Change (YoY) 38
Housing Cost Burden 65.2
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 76
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 53
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 67
Homeownership Rate 69
Structural Poverty 47.2
Unemployment Rate 38
Poverty Rate 42
Income vs. State Median 48
Child Poverty Rate 25
Disability Rate 72
Transfer Income Dependency 53
Consumer Credit Distress 41.8
Debt in Collections 47
Medical Debt 66
Auto Loan Delinquency 19
Credit Card Delinquency 42
Uninsured Rate 42
Subprime Credit Population 40
Legal Distress 9.5
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 10

Scores are percentile-based: 50 = national median, higher = more distressed.

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Penobscot County
Penobscot County, ME 49.1 Normal —
Washington County, ME 51.1 Elevated +2.1
Somerset County, ME 50.6 Elevated +1.5
Piscataquis County, ME 49.1 Normal +0.1
Waldo County, ME 46.1 Normal -3.0
Aroostook County, ME 45.0 Normal -4.0
Hancock County, ME 42.4 Normal -6.7

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Penobscot County
Nassau County, FL 49.0 Normal -0.0
Van Buren County, MI 49.0 Normal -0.1
Saline County, KS 49.0 Normal -0.1
Laramie County, WY 49.0 Normal -0.1
Catawba County, NC 49.2 Normal +0.1

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 49.1 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,637th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 5th in Maine out of 16 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Penobscot County?

    The primary driver of distress in Penobscot County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 82.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Penobscot County compare to neighboring counties?

    Penobscot County (49.1) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Washington County, ME (51.1); Somerset County, ME (50.6); Piscataquis County, ME (49.1).

  • How is the County Distress Index calculated?

    The County Distress Index uses PCA-weighted percentile scoring across five statistically derived factors: Consumer Credit Distress (47.5%), Housing Cost Burden (22.3%), Structural Poverty (13.6%), Economic Vitality (9.2%), and Legal Distress (7.4%). 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.

  • How often is the CDI updated?

    Annually, aligned to Census American Community Survey and Urban Institute Debt in America release windows — the slowest-moving source inputs. Between annual refreshes, faster-cadence indicators (BLS unemployment, QCEW wages) may drive light mid-year updates if a specific component moves meaningfully. Current data compiled April 14, 2026; next full refresh early 2027.

  • What does the Normal zone mean?

    The CDI divides counties into five zones: Healthy (below 46), Normal (46–55), Elevated (55–71), Serious (71–86), and Crisis (86 and above). Penobscot County's score of 49.1 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

  • What data sources power Penobscot County's CDI score?

    Penobscot County's CDI score draws on Urban Institute Debt in America (Equifax credit-bureau panel), U.S. Census Bureau (American Community Survey 5-year, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates), Bureau of Labor Statistics (LAUS, QCEW), U.S. Courts Administrative Office (F-5A bankruptcy filings), and HUD Fair Market Rents. Every number on this page traces to one of these public sources.

  • 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.