Piscataquis County, Maine

County Distress Index: Normal · 49.1 | 17,486 people · 4th most distressed in Maine
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Piscataquis County, ME falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 49.1 — 1634th 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 4th of 16 counties. Among its 3 neighboring counties, 2 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Piscataquis County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 90.4 — worse than roughly 90% of U.S. counties.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 90.4
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 93
Rent-to-Income Ratio 95
Business Formation Rate 80
House Price Change (YoY) 83
Structural Poverty 80.1
Unemployment Rate 83
Poverty Rate 63
Income vs. State Median 91
Child Poverty Rate 61
Disability Rate 89
Transfer Income Dependency 85
Consumer Credit Distress 48.1
Debt in Collections 44
Medical Debt 89
Auto Loan Delinquency 57
Credit Card Delinquency 24
Uninsured Rate 65
Subprime Credit Population 32
Housing Cost Burden 29.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 23
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 32
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 34
Homeownership Rate 36
Legal Distress 6.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 6

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Piscataquis County
Piscataquis County, ME 49.1 Normal —
Somerset County, ME 50.6 Elevated +1.5
Penobscot County, ME 49.1 Normal -0.1
Aroostook County, ME 45.0 Normal -4.1

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Piscataquis County
Brown County, IN 49.1 Normal 0.0
Franklin County, TX 49.1 Normal -0.0
Decatur County, TN 49.1 Normal +0.0
Rabun County, GA 49.1 Normal -0.0
Otsego County, MI 49.2 Normal +0.0

Download Data

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

Find Help in Piscataquis County

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

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Legal aid organizations serving Piscataquis County residents at no cost.

Pine Tree Legal Assistance 207-774-8211

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Piscataquis County has a County Distress Index score of 49.1 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,634th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 4th in Maine out of 16 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Piscataquis County?

    The primary driver of distress in Piscataquis County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 90.4 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Piscataquis County compare to neighboring counties?

    Piscataquis County (49.1) can be compared to its 3 neighboring counties: Somerset County, ME (50.6); Penobscot County, ME (49.1); Aroostook County, ME (45.0).

  • 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). Piscataquis County's score of 49.1 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Piscataquis 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 Piscataquis County?

    Piscataquis County, Maine has a population of approximately 17,486 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.