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Penobscot County, ME Economy
Unemployment was 3.4% in Aug 2026 and jobs paid $57,443 a year on average.
- Unemployment rate
- 3.4%
- +0.2 pts in a year
- Labor force
- 74,032
- -2.1% in a year
- Income per person
- $56,593
- 10th of 16 in ME
- Average annual pay
- $57,443
- 71,782 jobs, 2025
Unemployment rate in Penobscot County
Monthly. County rates are not seasonally adjusted, so they rise and fall with the seasons.
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| Period | Penobscot County |
|---|---|
| Aug 2026 | 3.4% |
| Dec 2025 | 3.5% |
| Dec 2024 | 3.6% |
| Dec 2023 | 3.1% |
| Dec 2022 | 2.6% |
| Dec 2021 | 4.0% |
| Dec 2020 | 4.0% |
| Dec 2019 | 3.0% |
| Dec 2018 | 3.5% |
| Dec 2017 | 3.2% |
| Dec 2016 | 3.9% |
| Dec 2015 | 4.6% |
| Dec 2014 | 5.3% |
| Dec 2013 | 6.0% |
| Dec 2012 | 7.3% |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics ยท Last updated 09/01/2026
Jobs and pay by industry
Private employers in Penobscot County, annual average 2025. Industries with too few employers to publish are left out.
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| Industry | Jobs | 1-year change | Average pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 15,619 | -0.4% | $66,789 |
| Retail trade | 10,548 | -1.0% | $40,082 |
| Accommodation and food services | 6,434 | +2.7% | $28,588 |
| Construction | 3,786 | -3.4% | $71,812 |
| Administrative and support services | 2,763 | +0.7% | $38,633 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 2,566 | -4.3% | $56,422 |
| Professional and technical services | 2,388 | +6.0% | $79,033 |
| Management of companies | 1,988 | +5.0% | $91,873 |
| Finance and insurance | 1,491 | +3.0% | $89,434 |
| Educational services | 1,043 | -5.2% | $48,287 |
| Arts, entertainment and recreation | 1,026 | -10.5% | $22,828 |
| Real estate and rental | 782 | 0.0% | $53,152 |
Latest quarter (Q1 2026): 70,339 jobs (-1.2% from a year earlier), average weekly wage $1,097.
Income and output
Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024
- Total personal income
- $8.88B
- +5.3% in a year
- Income per person
- $56,593
- ME: $68,932
- GDP
- $9.64B
- Current dollars
- Real GDP growth
- +3.1%
- Adjusted for inflation
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| Period | Penobscot County |
|---|---|
| 2024 | $56,593 |
| 2023 | $53,935 |
| 2022 | $52,005 |
| 2021 | $51,086 |
| 2020 | $47,306 |
| 2019 | $42,732 |
| 2018 | $41,170 |
| 2017 | $39,494 |
| 2016 | $38,375 |
| 2015 | $37,304 |
| 2014 | $35,927 |
| 2013 | $35,152 |
| 2012 | $34,860 |
| 2011 | $34,633 |
| 2010 | $33,455 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Economic Accounts
Businesses by industry, trucking companies, banks and bankruptcies in Penobscot County.
Business profileBusinesses in Penobscot County
County Business Patterns 2023 and Nonemployer Statistics 2024
- Employer businesses
- 4,222
- Employees
- 60,749
- Mid-March
- Annual payroll
- $3.17B
- Self-employed businesses
- 11,013
- $550M receipts
By industry
- Retail trade67015.9%
- Health care and social assistance59314.0%
- Construction52612.5%
- Other services3939.3%
- Accommodation and food services3368.0%
- Professional and technical services3087.3%
- Real estate and rental2265.4%
- Administrative and support services2225.3%
By number of employees
- 1 to 42,18151.7%
- 5 to 981019.2%
- 10 to 1960214.3%
- 20 to 494089.7%
- 50 to 991373.2%
- 100 to 249691.6%
- 250 to 49980.2%
- 500 to 99940.1%
- 1,000 or more30.1%
Neighboring counties
Unemployment rate, Aug 2026
| County | Rate | 1 year |
|---|---|---|
| Hancock County | 2.8% | +0.2 pts |
| Penobscot CountyThis county | 3.4% | +0.2 pts |
| Waldo County | 3.4% | +0.2 pts |
| Aroostook County | 4.1% | +0.2 pts |
| Somerset County | 4.1% | +0.2 pts |
| Washington County | 4.4% | +0.3 pts |
| Piscataquis County | 4.8% | +0.7 pts |
Federal money in Penobscot County
Federal awards, pandemic loans and political donations
Frequently asked questions
- What is the unemployment rate in Penobscot County, ME?
- The unemployment rate in Penobscot County was 3.4% in Aug 2026, not seasonally adjusted, with 74,032 people in the labor force.
- What is the average salary in Penobscot County?
- Jobs in Penobscot County paid an average of $57,443 in 2025 ($1,105 a week), across 71,782 jobs covered by unemployment insurance.
- What are the biggest industries in Penobscot County?
- The largest private industries by jobs are health care and social assistance (15,619), retail trade (10,548), accommodation and food services (6,434).
- What is the income per person in Penobscot County?
- Personal income per person was $56,593 in 2024, compared with $68,932 for Maine. It counts wages, business income, investment income and government benefits.
- How many businesses are in Penobscot County?
- Penobscot County had 4,222 business establishments with paid employees in 2023, plus 11,013 businesses with no employees.