Washington County, Maine

Last updated

Washington County
County
MachiasME WashingtonCountyCourthouse.jpg
Washington County Courthouse
Flag of Washington County, Maine.gif
Flag
Map of Maine highlighting Washington County.svg
Location within the U.S. state of Maine
Maine in United States.svg
Maine's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 44°56′24″N67°33′01″W / 44.940006°N 67.550331°W / 44.940006; -67.550331
CountryFlag of the United States.svg United States
StateFlag of Maine.svg  Maine
FoundedJune 25, 1789
Named for George Washington
Seat Machias
Largest city Calais
Area
 • Total3,258 sq mi (8,440 km2)
 • Land2,563 sq mi (6,640 km2)
 • Water695 sq mi (1,800 km2)  21%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total31,095
 • Density9.5/sq mi (3.7/km2)
Time zone UTC−5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district 2nd
Website washingtoncountymaine.com

Washington County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maine. As of the 2020 census, its population was 31,095, [1] making it the third-least populous county in Maine. Its county seat is Machias. [2] The county was established on June 25, 1789. It borders the Canadian province of New Brunswick.

Contents

It is sometimes referred to as "Sunrise County" because it includes the easternmost point in the 48 contiguous United States. Claims have been made that Washington County is where the sun first rises on the 48 contiguous states. [3] Many small seaside communities have small-scale fishing-based economies. Tourism is also important along the county's shoreline, but it is not as important as elsewhere in the state. The blueberry crop plays a major role in the county's economy.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 3,258 square miles (8,440 km2), of which 2,563 square miles (6,640 km2) is land and 695 square miles (1,800 km2) (21%) is water. [4]

Adjacent counties

National protected areas

Major highways

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
1790 2,760—
1800 4,46161.6%
1810 7,87076.4%
1820 12,74461.9%
1830 21,29467.1%
1840 28,32733.0%
1850 38,81137.0%
1860 42,5349.6%
1870 43,3431.9%
1880 44,4842.6%
1890 44,4820.0%
1900 45,2321.7%
1910 42,905−5.1%
1920 41,709−2.8%
1930 37,826−9.3%
1940 37,767−0.2%
1950 35,187−6.8%
1960 32,908−6.5%
1970 29,859−9.3%
1980 34,96317.1%
1990 35,3081.0%
2000 33,941−3.9%
2010 32,856−3.2%
2020 31,095−5.4%
2023 (est.)31,555 [5] 1.5%
U.S. Decennial Census [6]
1790–1960 [7] 1900–1990 [8]
1990–2000 [9] 2010–2016 [10]

According to U.S. Census Bureau 2022 statistics, Washington County's population density equates to twelve people per square mile. [11]

2000 census

As of the census [12] of 2000, there were 33,941 people, 14,118 households, and 9,303 families living in the county. The population density was 13 people per square mile (5.0 people/km2). There were 21,919 housing units at an average density of 8 per square mile (3.1/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 93.48% White, 0.26% Black or African American, 4.43% Native American, 0.30% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.44% from other races, and 1.07% from two or more races. 0.81% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 95.0% spoke English, 1.9% Passamaquoddy, 1.0% Spanish and 1.0% French as their first language.

There were 14,118 households, out of which 28.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.10% were married couples living together, 9.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.10% were non-families. 28.30% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.34 and the average family size was 2.84.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 22.90% under the age of 18, 8.00% from 18 to 24, 26.30% from 25 to 44, 25.60% from 45 to 64, and 17.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 95.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.90 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $25,869, and the median income for a family was $31,657. Males had a median income of $28,347 versus $20,074 for females. The per capita income for the county was $14,119. About 14.20% of families and 19.00% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.40% of those under age 18 and 19.20% of those age 65 or over.

2010 census

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 32,856 people, 14,302 households, and 8,847 families living in the county. [13] The population density was 12.8 inhabitants per square mile (4.9/km2). There were 23,001 housing units at an average density of 9.0 units per square mile (3.5 units/km2). [14] The racial makeup of the county was 92.1% white, 4.9% American Indian, 0.5% Asian, 0.4% black or African American, 0.4% from other races, and 1.7% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1.4% of the population. [13] In terms of ancestry, 30.4% were English, 17.0% were Irish, 7.0% were German, 6.1% were Scottish, and 5.6% were American. [15]

Of the 14,302 households, 25.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.1% were married couples living together, 9.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 38.1% were non-families, and 31.6% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.24 and the average family size was 2.76. The median age was 46.1 years. [13]

The median income for a household in the county was $34,859 and the median income for a family was $43,612. Males had a median income of $35,981 versus $27,336 for females. The per capita income for the county was $19,401. About 14.1% of families and 19.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 29.3% of those under age 18 and 12.4% of those age 65 or over. [16]

Government

Washington County is considered to be a more conservative county in Maine. No Democrat has carried a majority of the county since Hubert Humphrey in 1968. In 2004, it was one of only two counties (the other being Piscataquis County) in Maine to vote for Republican George W. Bush over Democrat John Kerry. The county voted for the winning presidential candidate in every election since 1980 until 2020, when the county was carried by Donald Trump, who lost nationally to Joe Biden. [17]

In the 2012 Maine Republican presidential caucuses, the majority of Washington County voters cast their votes for Republican Ron Paul, but votes from Washington County were not counted because of snow. Mitt Romney ultimately won the state by a narrow margin.

Voter registration

Voter registration and party enrollment as of March 2024 [18]
Republican 8,027
Unenrolled6,072
Democratic 5,591
Green Independent 752
No Labels 314
Libertarian 76
Total20,832
United States presidential election results for Washington County, Maine [19]
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No. %No. %No. %
2020 10,19458.73%6,76138.95%4022.32%
2016 9,09355.56%6,07537.12%1,1977.31%
2012 7,55047.68%7,80349.27%4833.05%
2008 8,07748.50%8,24649.51%3311.99%
2004 8,61949.79%8,39148.47%3001.73%
2000 7,95850.66%6,70142.66%1,0496.68%
1996 4,79331.56%7,19847.39%3,19821.05%
1992 5,49330.92%6,28435.37%5,98833.71%
1988 7,87256.93%5,83142.17%1250.90%
1984 9,71364.41%5,30835.20%600.40%
1980 7,18048.55%6,05040.91%1,55810.54%
1976 7,03949.45%6,64446.67%5523.88%
1972 7,82067.57%3,74232.33%120.10%
1968 5,52346.10%6,24952.16%2081.74%
1964 3,81629.05%9,31270.88%90.07%
1960 9,11865.91%4,71634.09%00.00%
1956 8,18176.20%2,55523.80%00.00%
1952 7,39665.89%3,80633.91%230.20%
1948 5,13058.64%3,53840.44%800.91%
1944 5,38048.44%5,70951.40%180.16%
1940 6,25343.65%8,04856.18%250.17%
1936 6,38744.06%7,92554.67%1831.26%
1932 7,50751.95%6,82947.26%1150.80%
1928 8,53173.30%3,07326.40%350.30%
1924 6,01069.71%2,10624.43%5055.86%
1920 6,76868.57%2,99730.36%1051.06%
1916 3,89152.24%3,45946.44%991.33%
1912 1,86226.40%3,17845.07%2,01228.53%
1908 3,50759.49%2,25638.27%1322.24%

Communities

Cities

Towns

Plantations

Unorganized territories

Indian reservations

Census-designated places

Public transportation

Washington County does not have a comprehensive public transportation system, despite having a year-round population of around 32,000. [20] West Bus Services, based in Milbridge, serves several communities in northern Maine. The daily Coastal Connection route serves: Calais, Perry, Pembroke, Dennysville, Whiting, Lubec, East Machias, Machias, Jonesboro, Jonesport, Beals, Addison, Cherryfield, Columbia, Columbia Falls, Deblois (seasonal), Township 18 (seasonal), Township 19 (seasonal), Centerville, Gouldsboro, Winter Harbor, Sullivan, Steuben, Hancock, Ellsworth, Lucern, Holden and Bangor. The route takes around 3.5 hours. On the first Wednesday of each month, a return service runs between Lubec and Machias. [21]

Notable people

See also

Related Research Articles

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Mattawamkeag is a town in Penobscot County, Maine, United States, located where the Mattawamkeag River joins the Penobscot River. The population was 596 at the 2020 census. The village of Mattawamkeag is in the southwestern part of the town.

Addison is a town in Washington County, Maine, United States. The town was named after English author Joseph Addison. The population was 1,148 as of the 2020 census.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cherryfield, Maine</span> Town in Maine, United States

Cherryfield is a town in Washington County, Maine, United States on the Narraguagus River. It was named for the wild cherries that once peppered the banks of the river. The town population was 1,107 at the 2020 census. The town bills itself as the "Blueberry Capital of the World". Roughly 75 acres (300,000 m2) on both sides of the river are a historic district on the National Register of Historic Places known as the Cherryfield Historic District. This district comprises a collection of period structures dating from c. 1750–1890. The town was first settled about 1760. In 1826,the part of Steuben known as Narraguagus was annexed onto Cherryfield.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">East Machias, Maine</span> Town in Maine, United States

East Machias is a town in Washington County, Maine, United States on the East Machias River. At the 2020 census, the town population was 1,326. It is the home of Washington Academy, a private school founded in 1792.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eastport, Maine</span> City in Maine, United States

Eastport is a city and archipelago in Washington County, Maine, United States. The population was 1,288 at the 2020 census, making Eastport the least-populous city in Maine. The principal island is Moose Island, which is connected to the mainland by a causeway. Eastport is the easternmost city in the continental United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harrington, Maine</span> Town in the state of Maine, United States

Harrington is a town in Washington County, Maine, United States. The population was 962 at the 2020 census. Harrington is an old seafaring and shipbuilding village.

Jonesboro is a town in Washington County, Maine, United States. The town was named for John Coffin Jones, a landholder. The population was 587 at the 2020 census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jonesport, Maine</span> Town in Maine, United States

Jonesport is a town in Washington County, Maine, United States. The population was 1,245 at the 2020 census. Jonesport is a fishing and lobstering town. It contains the villages or hamlets of Jonesport, Mason Bay, Monsapec, and West Jonesport.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lubec, Maine</span> Town in Maine, United States

Lubec is a town in Washington County, Maine, United States. It is the easternmost municipality in the contiguous U.S. and is the country's closest continental location to Africa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Machiasport, Maine</span> Town in the state of Maine, United States

Machiasport is a town in Washington County, Maine, United States. The population was 962 at the 2020 census. Machiasport is a historic seaport and tourist destination.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Milbridge, Maine</span> Town in the state of Maine, United States

Milbridge is a town in Washington County, Maine, United States at the mouth of the Narraguagus River. The population was 1,375 at the 2020 census. The town was incorporated in 1848. It contains the villages of Milbridge and Wyman.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pembroke, Maine</span> Town in the state of Maine, United States

Pembroke is a town in Washington County, Maine, United States. The population was 788 at the 2020 census. The town is home to a reversing falls on Mahar's Point.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Perry, Maine</span> Town in the state of Maine, United States

Perry is a town in Washington County, Maine, United States, on the Canada–United States border. At the 2020 census, the town had a population of 802.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robbinston, Maine</span> Town in the state of Maine, United States

Robbinston is a town in Washington County, Maine, United States. The population was 539 at the 2020 census.

Vanceboro is a town in Washington County, Maine, United States. The town was named after landowner William Vance. The main village in town is located at the eastern terminus of Maine State Route 6. Vanceboro is across the St. Croix River from St. Croix, New Brunswick, Canada, to which it is connected by the Saint Croix–Vanceboro Bridge. Vanceboro is also connected to St. Croix by the Saint Croix–Vanceboro Railway Bridge, which is used by the New Brunswick Southern Railway.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Machias, New York</span> Town in New York, United States

Machias is a town in Cattaraugus County, New York, United States. The population was 2,309 at the 2020 census. Machias is an interior town in the northeast quadrant of the county. It is northeast of the city of Salamanca.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Machias, Washington</span> CDP in Washington, United States

Machias is a census-designated place (CDP) in Snohomish County, Washington, United States. The population was 1,178 at the 2010 census.

Machias is a census-designated place (CDP) corresponding to the central village area within the town of Machias in Washington County, Maine, United States. The population of the CDP was 1,274 at the 2010 census.

Machias is a town in and the county seat of Washington County in Down East Maine, United States. As of the 2020 census, the town population was 2,060. It is home to the University of Maine at Machias and Machias Valley Airport, a small public airport owned by the town. The word Machias roughly translates in Passamaquoddy as "bad little falls", a reference to the Machias River. Machias was the site of the first naval battle of the American Revolution.

References

  1. ↑ "Census - Geography Profile: Washington County, Maine". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved November 21, 2021.
  2. ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. ↑ Trotter, Bill (October 22, 2011). "Where in Maine does the sun rise first?". Bangor Daily News. Retrieved February 6, 2013.
  4. ↑ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on September 9, 2014. Retrieved September 7, 2014.
  5. ↑ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 3, 2024.
  6. ↑ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 7, 2014.
  7. ↑ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved September 7, 2014.
  8. ↑ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 7, 2014.
  9. ↑ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 27, 2010. Retrieved September 7, 2014.
  10. ↑ "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 19, 2013.
  11. ↑ "In Washington County, getting from here to there isn't so simple". newscentermaine.com. June 5, 2023. Retrieved October 27, 2023.
  12. ↑ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  13. 1 2 3 "DP-1 Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved January 21, 2016.
  14. ↑ "Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010 - County". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved January 21, 2016.
  15. ↑ "DP02 SELECTED SOCIAL CHARACTERISTICS IN THE UNITED STATES – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved January 21, 2016.
  16. ↑ "DP03 SELECTED ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved January 21, 2016.
  17. ↑ Politico live election results: 2020 Maine results
  18. ↑ Bureau of Corporations, Elections & Commissions. "Registered & Enrolled Voters Statewide" (PDF). Maine SOS. Retrieved April 9, 2024.
  19. ↑ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved April 8, 2018.
  20. ↑ "In Washington County, getting from here to there isn't so simple". newscentermaine.com. June 5, 2023. Retrieved October 27, 2023.
  21. ↑ "WEST BUS SERVICE". www.westbusservice.com. Retrieved September 17, 2023.

44°58′N67°37′W / 44.97°N 67.61°W / 44.97; -67.61

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