Most rural counties in Maine
A surprising number of U.S. counties have 100% rural land-702, in fact. compiled a list of the most rural counties in Maine using data from the . Counties are ranked by the percent of land area that is rural, as of the 2010 Census, with ties broken by residents per square mile, according to 2020 5-year population estimates.
According to the Census Bureau, rural land encompasses any land that isn't an urban area. To be considered an urban area, a place has to have a densely settled core of census tracts or blocks and count at least 2,500 people, at least 1,500 of whom must be residents of non-institutional buildings. Areas with 50,000 people or more are considered urbanized areas, while areas with between 2,500 and 50,000 people are considered urban clusters.
#16. Cumberland County
- Rural area: 84.6% (707 square miles)
- Urban area: 15.4% (129 square miles)
- Total land area: 835 square miles
--- #11 largest county in state, #1,005 nationwide
- Population density: 352.6 people / square mile (294,520 residents)
--- #16 lowest density county in state, #2,778 nationwide
#15. Androscoggin County
- Rural area: 92.2% (432 square miles)
- Urban area: 7.8% (36 square miles)
- Total land area: 468 square miles
--- #13 largest county in state, #2,202 nationwide
- Population density: 230.7 people / square mile (107,958 residents)
--- #15 lowest density county in state, #2,640 nationwide
#14. York County
- Rural area: 93.5% (926 square miles)
- Urban area: 6.5% (65 square miles)
- Total land area: 991 square miles
--- #9 largest county in state, #691 nationwide
- Population density: 208.0 people / square mile (206,074 residents)
--- #14 lowest density county in state, #2,608 nationwide
#13. Sagadahoc County
- Rural area: 96.2% (244 square miles)
- Urban area: 3.8% (10 square miles)
- Total land area: 254 square miles
--- #16 largest county in state, #2,899 nationwide
- Population density: 140.8 people / square mile (35,720 residents)
--- #12 lowest density county in state, #2,443 nationwide
#12. Kennebec County
- Rural area: 96.3% (835 square miles)
- Urban area: 3.7% (32 square miles)
- Total land area: 868 square miles
--- #10 largest county in state, #946 nationwide
- Population density: 140.8 people / square mile (122,158 residents)
--- #13 lowest density county in state, #2,444 nationwide
#11. Knox County
- Rural area: 97.5% (356 square miles)
- Urban area: 2.5% (9 square miles)
- Total land area: 365 square miles
--- #15 largest county in state, #2,642 nationwide
- Population density: 109.0 people / square mile (39,809 residents)
--- #11 lowest density county in state, #2,318 nationwide
#10. Penobscot County
- Rural area: 98.7% (3,353 square miles)
- Urban area: 1.3% (44 square miles)
- Total land area: 3,397 square miles
--- #4 largest county in state, #147 nationwide
- Population density: 44.7 people / square mile (151,696 residents)
--- #8 lowest density county in state, #1,569 nationwide
#9. Waldo County
- Rural area: 99.6% (727 square miles)
- Urban area: 0.4% (3 square miles)
- Total land area: 730 square miles
--- #12 largest county in state, #1,215 nationwide
- Population density: 54.4 people / square mile (39,723 residents)
--- #9 lowest density county in state, #1,767 nationwide
#8. Oxford County
- Rural area: 99.7% (2,070 square miles)
- Urban area: 0.3% (6 square miles)
- Total land area: 2,077 square miles
--- #6 largest county in state, #275 nationwide
- Population density: 27.8 people / square mile (57,741 residents)
--- #6 lowest density county in state, #1,151 nationwide
#7. Hancock County
- Rural area: 99.7% (1,582 square miles)
- Urban area: 0.3% (4 square miles)
- Total land area: 1,587 square miles
--- #8 largest county in state, #383 nationwide
- Population density: 34.6 people / square mile (54,832 residents)
--- #7 lowest density county in state, #1,330 nationwide
#6. Franklin County
- Rural area: 99.8% (1,693 square miles)
- Urban area: 0.2% (3 square miles)
- Total land area: 1,697 square miles
--- #7 largest county in state, #356 nationwide
- Population density: 17.6 people / square mile (29,933 residents)
--- #5 lowest density county in state, #815 nationwide
#5. Somerset County
- Rural area: 99.8% (3,918 square miles)
- Urban area: 0.2% (6 square miles)
- Total land area: 3,924 square miles
--- #3 largest county in state, #125 nationwide
- Population density: 12.9 people / square mile (50,573 residents)
--- #4 lowest density county in state, #673 nationwide
#4. Aroostook County
- Rural area: 99.9% (6,662 square miles)
- Urban area: 0.1% (10 square miles)
- Total land area: 6,671 square miles
--- #1 largest county in state, #48 nationwide
- Population density: 10.1 people / square mile (67,431 residents)
--- #2 lowest density county in state, #583 nationwide
#3. Washington County
- Rural area: 99.9% (2,561 square miles)
- Urban area: 0.1% (2 square miles)
- Total land area: 2,563 square miles
--- #5 largest county in state, #212 nationwide
- Population density: 12.2 people / square mile (31,378 residents)
--- #3 lowest density county in state, #643 nationwide
#2. Lincoln County
- Rural area: 100.0% (456 square miles)
- Urban area: 0.0% (0 square miles)
- Total land area: 456 square miles
--- #14 largest county in state, #2,248 nationwide
- Population density: 75.5 people / square mile (34,415 residents)
--- #10 lowest density county in state, #2,043 nationwide
#1. Piscataquis County
- Rural area: 100.0% (3,961 square miles)
- Urban area: 0.0% (0 square miles)
- Total land area: 3,961 square miles
--- #2 largest county in state, #124 nationwide
- Population density: 4.3 people / square mile (16,864 residents)
--- #1 lowest density county in state, #334 nationwide
