Penobscot County, Maine

Penobscot County is a county in Maine, United States, home to Bangor and the University of Maine’s flagship Orono campus. It had a population of 152,199 at the 2020 census and covers 3,397 square miles (8,800 km2) of land, centred near 45°24′N 68°38′W.

Bangor is the county seat and its postal code is 04401. The county has 3 cities, 51 towns, 4 plantations, 7 unorganized townships and one tribal reservation (Penobscot Indian Island). All of Penobscot County observes Eastern Time.

Towns & Villages in Penobscot County

Penobscot County’s settled land is organised into 3 cities, 51 incorporated towns and 4 plantations, with the remaining northern reaches held as unorganized townships. The table below lists the incorporated municipalities plus the largest recognized villages within them; population and ZIP figures are given where confirmed, otherwise marked —.

Argyle and Edinburg are unorganized settlements rather than incorporated towns; Argyle’s mail is handled through neighboring Alton. The county’s four plantations — Grand Falls, Lakeville, Prentiss and Seboeis — and its seven unorganized townships in the north woods are governed directly by the state rather than a local council, and carry no incorporated population centre of their own.

ZIP Codes

• 04401 — Bangor (also serves Glenburn, Hermon and Veazie)
• 04412 — Brewer
• 04468 — Old Town (also serves Alton and Argyle)
• 04473 — Orono
• 04444 — Hampden
• 04462 — Millinocket
• 04930 — Dexter
• 04457 — Lincoln (also serves Lowell)
• 04953 — Newport
• 04928 — Corinna
• 04461 — Milford
• 04448 — Howland
• 04765 — Patten (also serves Mount Chase)

Smaller towns without their own post office, such as Chester and Carroll, are served by a neighboring town’s ZIP code.

Geography

Penobscot County spans central Maine from the farmland around Newport and Corinna in the south to the north-woods townships bordering Baxter State Park. The Penobscot River runs the length of the county through Bangor, Old Town and Millinocket, and East Turner Mountain, at 2,456 feet, is the county’s highest point. Water covers 160 square miles (410 km2), about 4.5 percent of the total area.

Penobscot County borders Aroostook County to the north, Piscataquis County to the northwest, Somerset County to the west, Waldo County to the southwest, Hancock County to the south and Washington County to the southeast. Live neighbor profiles: Aroostook County, Piscataquis County, Waldo County, Hancock County and Washington County.

Demographics

The 2020 census counted 152,199 residents, making Penobscot the third most populous county in Maine after Cumberland and York. Bangor (31,753) and Orono (10,362) are its two largest communities. Population density is about 44.8 people per square mile. Penobscot County’s household incomes generally run below the Maine median of $73,733, reflecting its mix of a small city core and a large rural north where forestry and farm work pay less than Bangor’s medical and retail jobs.

Economy & Local Life

Bangor anchors the county’s retail, medical and government employment, led by Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center and the regional offices that serve as central Maine’s commercial hub. Orono is home to the University of Maine, the state’s flagship public research university, which draws students and staff from across the state. Millinocket and East Millinocket grew up around paper mills that once ran on Penobscot River timber; both towns have worked to diversify since the mills’ decline. Farming and forestry remain steady employers in the county’s southern and northern towns.

History

Penobscot County was organized on February 15, 1816, carved from Hancock County while Maine was still part of Massachusetts. It takes its name from the Penobscot people, whose homeland in Wabanakik includes the Penobscot River watershed; Penobscot Indian Island, the tribe’s reservation near Old Town, sits within the county today. The county’s timber and paper industry, centred on Millinocket and Old Town, drove its growth through the 19th and 20th centuries before national shifts in papermaking reshaped the local economy in recent decades.

Getting There

Interstate 95 runs the length of the county through Bangor, Old Town, Lincoln and Medway, with US Route 2 crossing east-west through Bangor and US Route 11 serving the county’s eastern towns.

• Bangor — on I-95, the county seat and central hub
• Old Town — 12 miles north of Bangor
• Millinocket — 65 miles north of Bangor, gateway to Baxter State Park
• Lincoln — 45 miles north of Bangor

Bangor International Airport offers the county’s only commercial air service.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Penobscot County?
It sits in central Maine, along the Penobscot River, between Aroostook County to the north and Waldo and Hancock counties to the south.

What is the population of Penobscot County?
152,199 at the 2020 census, the third-highest of Maine’s 16 counties.

How big is Penobscot County?
3,397 square miles (8,800 km2) of land, plus 160 square miles (410 km2) of water.

What is the county seat of Penobscot County?
Bangor is the county seat.

How many towns are in Penobscot County?
3 cities, 51 towns and 4 plantations, plus 7 unorganized townships in the county’s far north.

What ZIP codes are in Penobscot County?
Bangor uses 04401, Brewer 04412, Old Town 04468, Orono 04473 and Millinocket 04462, among others listed above.

What is Penobscot County named after?
The Penobscot people, whose homeland includes the river and watershed that bears their name.

More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Maine.