Best Counties in Maine — 2026 Rankings
16 of 16 counties scored across 12 dimensions
16
16 scored
48/100
composite score
54.8/100
38.2—54.8
lowest to highest
State Overview
Understanding County Scores in Maine
Maine stays competitive just below national median
Maine earns a composite livability score of 48.0, placing it slightly behind the national median of 50.0. With all 16 counties reporting, the state maintains a consistent profile across its diverse geography.
Superior health scores lead the state's profile
The Pine Tree State excels in wellness with a high health score of 65.8, its strongest dimension. This is paired with an income score of 53.9, which sits above the national average and provides a solid foundation for resident stability.
High taxes and living costs present hurdles
Maine struggles with affordability, posting a tax score of 31.4 and a cost score of 36.8, indicating significant financial pressure on residents. These factors, combined with a moderate risk score of 43.3, keep the state's composite from rising higher.
Franklin and Sagadahoc represent Maine's best
Franklin County leads the state with a score of 54.8, bolstered by a rare high cost score of 63.4. Sagadahoc and Lincoln counties follow at 54.7 and 54.2, driven by strong income scores of 85.8 and 71.4 respectively.
A healthy choice for income-secure families
Maine is best suited for families who value public health and higher incomes over a low-tax environment. While the cost of living is high, the state offers top-tier wellness outcomes for those who can navigate the financial entry point.
All County Rankings in Maine
Search, sort, and filter all 16 ranked counties
Showing 1–16 of 16 counties
| Rank | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Franklin County | 54.8 | 32.9 | 63.4 | 34.3 | 59.4 | 67.4 | 62.3 | 56.4 | 12.5 | 50 | 54.4 | ||
| 2 | Sagadahoc County | 54.7 | 29.9 | 17.2 | 85.8 | 71.2 | 82.6 | 57 | 76.7 | 86 | 54 | 50.5 | ||
| 3 | Lincoln County | 54.2 | 43.1 | 24.9 | 71.4 | 74.3 | 74.1 | 51.3 | 68.2 | 36.4 | 57.2 | 51.2 | ||
| 4 | Waldo County | 53.9 | 32.2 | 30.6 | 62.7 | 86.5 | 65.2 | 56.6 | 59.4 | 10.3 | 53.3 | 65.7 | 39.8 | |
| 5 | Washington County | 52.8 | 29.6 | 68.7 | 19.1 | 78.4 | 39.6 | 54.6 | 52.5 | 8.1 | 51.8 | 49.8 | ||
| 6 | Hancock County | 51.2 | 46.9 | 27.1 | 65.4 | 57.6 | 70.3 | 64.2 | 45 | 8 | 58.3 | 47.1 | ||
| 7 | Knox County | 50.5 | 23.1 | 19.1 | 71.2 | 57.2 | 75.8 | 77.5 | 71.4 | 20.8 | 57.5 | 47.4 | ||
| 8 | Piscataquis County | 49.7 | 40.4 | 62.3 | 25.4 | 58.5 | 60.1 | 36.2 | 47.7 | 11.6 | 49.9 | 55.5 | ||
| 9 | Aroostook County | 48.7 | 24.6 | 69 | 23.5 | 59.8 | 53 | 49.3 | 19.6 | 15 | 49.3 | 62.1 | ||
| 10 | Cumberland County | 47.4 | 30.3 | 6.7 | 93 | 44.2 | 88.4 | 72.7 | 23 | 43.3 | 53.6 | 66 | 39.1 | |
| 11 | York County | 46.8 | 35.7 | 11.7 | 86.8 | 43 | 84.2 | 64.8 | 18.5 | 49.6 | 52.2 | 65.4 | 36.9 | |
| 12 | Oxford County | 45.3 | 31.5 | 52.2 | 32.6 | 45.9 | 52.6 | 49.8 | 34.1 | 35.2 | 49.9 | 49 | ||
| 13 | Somerset County | 41.3 | 27.5 | 50.4 | 28.1 | 34.1 | 50.2 | 53.7 | 32.1 | 16.7 | 49.6 | 57.4 | ||
| 14 | Kennebec County | 40.2 | 28.6 | 30.1 | 54.9 | 27.4 | 64.7 | 53.6 | 24.8 | 44.1 | 53.4 | 65.2 | 47.4 | |
| 15 | Penobscot County | 38.7 | 22.9 | 31.2 | 49 | 27.5 | 60.1 | 55.2 | 22 | 45.6 | 50.5 | 57.8 | ||
| 16 | Androscoggin County | 38.2 | 22.9 | 23.9 | 59.6 | 30.3 | 64.7 | 46.3 | 40.9 | 38.5 | 51.1 | 51 |
Franklin County
Sagadahoc County
Lincoln County
Waldo County
Washington County
Hancock County
Knox County
Piscataquis County
Aroostook County
Cumberland County
York County
Oxford County
Somerset County
Kennebec County
Penobscot County
Androscoggin County
Frequently Asked Questions about Counties in Maine
Common questions about county rankings and scores in Maine.
What is the best county in Maine?
Franklin County is the top-ranked county in Maine with a CountyScore of 54.8/100. It leads the state across the available scoring dimensions, which include Property Tax, Cost of Living, Income & Jobs, Safety, Health, Schools, Disaster Risk, Water Quality, Weather & Climate, Soil Quality, Lawn Care, Farmers Markets.
How many counties are ranked in Maine?
Maine has 16 counties in total. Of those, 16 have been ranked with a composite score based on available data dimensions. The remaining 0 counties do not yet have enough data for a full score.
What factors determine a county's score?
Each county is scored 0–100 across up to eight data dimensions: Property Tax, Cost of Living, Income & Jobs, Safety, Health, Schools, Disaster Risk, and Water Quality. The composite score is a weighted average of whichever dimensions have data. Currently available dimensions are: Property Tax, Cost of Living, Income & Jobs, Safety, Health, Schools, Disaster Risk, Water Quality, Weather & Climate, Soil Quality, Lawn Care, Farmers Markets. Higher scores are always better — a score of 100 represents the best possible performance for that dimension.
What is the average county score in Maine?
The average composite CountyScore across all ranked counties in Maine is 48/100. The national average is 50/100, so Maine counties score 2 points below the national average.
How does Maine compare to other states?
Maine's average county score of 48/100 is 2 points below the national average of 50/100. You can compare Maine counties to counties in any other state using the county detail pages or the CountyScore compare tool.
Explore County Data by Category
Dive deeper into specific dimensions for counties in Maine.
Best counties in other states
Data: U.S. Census Bureau ACS, FBI UCR, CDC, FEMA NRI, NCES, EPA SDWIS, 2019–2023 ACS — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.