Knox County, Maine
Encyclopedia
Knox County is a county located in the U.S. state
of Maine
. As of 2010, the population was 39,736. Its county seat
is Rockland
. The county is named for American Revolutionary War
general and Secretary of War
Henry Knox
, who lived in the county from 1795 until his death in 1806. The county was established on April 1, 1860, carved from parts of Waldo
and Lincoln
counties. The Union Fair
, started in 1868, began as the efforts of the North Knox Agricultural and Horticultural Society.
.
National protected area
of 2000, there were 39,618 people, 16,608 households, and 10,728 families residing in the county. The population density
was 108 people per square mile (42/km²). There were 21,612 housing units at an average density of 59 per square mile (23/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 98.28% White
, 0.24% Black
or African American
, 0.22% Native American
, 0.36% Asian
, 0.01% Pacific Islander
, 0.12% from other races
, and 0.78% from two or more races. 0.57% of the population were Hispanic
or Latino
of any race. 25.4% were of English
, 12.2% Irish
, 11.7% United States
or American, 7.5% German and 5.7% French
ancestry according to Census 2000. 97.1% spoke English
and 1.5% French
as their first language.
There were 16,608 households out of which 28.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.20% were married couples
living together, 9.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.40% were non-families. 29.00% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.70% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.31 and the average family size was 2.83.
In the county the population was spread out with 22.40% under the age of 18, 6.30% from 18 to 24, 27.40% from 25 to 44, 26.70% from 45 to 64, and 17.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 95.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.00 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $36,774, and the median income for a family was $43,819. Males had a median income of $30,704 versus $22,382 for females. The per capita income
for the county was $19,981. About 6.40% of families and 10.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.90% of those under age 18 and 8.00% of those age 65 or over.
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
. As of 2010, the population was 39,736. Its county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
is Rockland
Rockland, Maine
Rockland is a city in Knox County, Maine, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 7,297. It is the county seat of Knox County. The city is a popular tourist destination...
. The county is named for American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
general and Secretary of War
United States Secretary of War
The Secretary of War was a member of the United States President's Cabinet, beginning with George Washington's administration. A similar position, called either "Secretary at War" or "Secretary of War," was appointed to serve the Congress of the Confederation under the Articles of Confederation...
Henry Knox
Henry Knox
Henry Knox was a military officer of the Continental Army and later the United States Army, and also served as the first United States Secretary of War....
, who lived in the county from 1795 until his death in 1806. The county was established on April 1, 1860, carved from parts of Waldo
Waldo County, Maine
Waldo County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maine. As of 2010, the population was 38,786. Its county seat is Belfast.Waldo County was founded on 7 February 1827 from a portion of Hancock County...
and Lincoln
Lincoln County, Maine
Lincoln County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maine. As of 2010, the population was 34,457. Its county seat is Wiscasset. It was founded in 1760 and named after the English city Lincoln. At its founding, it accounted for three-fifths of the State's land, and stretched east to Nova...
counties. The Union Fair
Union Fair
The Union Fair is an agricultural fair in Union, Maine. It began in 1869 and, since 1886, all fair's have taken place in Union....
, started in 1868, began as the efforts of the North Knox Agricultural and Horticultural Society.
Geography
According to the 2000 census, the county has a total area of 1142.1 square miles (2,958 km²), of which 365.67 square miles (947.1 km²) (or 32.02%) is land and 776.43 square miles (2,010.9 km²) (or 67.98%) is water. It was originally part of the Waldo PatentWaldo Patent
The Waldo Patent, a letters patent also known as the Muscongus Patent or the Lincolnshire Patent, was an area of land 36 miles square in what is now the U.S...
.
National protected areaProtected areaProtected areas are locations which receive protection because of their recognised natural, ecological and/or cultural values. There are several kinds of protected areas, which vary by level of protection depending on the enabling laws of each country or the regulations of the international...
s
- Franklin Island National Wildlife RefugeFranklin Island National Wildlife RefugeFranklin Island National Wildlife Refuge is a National Wildlife Refuge on Franklin Island outside Muscongus Bay in the state of Maine. It is one of the five refuges that together make up the Maine Coastal Islands National Wildlife Refuge, along with Petit Manan, Cross Island, Seal Island, and Pond...
- Seal Island National Wildlife RefugeSeal Island National Wildlife RefugeSeal Island National Wildlife Refuge is a mile-long island off the coast of Maine near Matinicus Island. It is home to colonies of many types of seabirds, including Atlantic Puffins, Great Cormorants, Arctic Terns, Common Terns, and guillemots...
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 39,618 people, 16,608 households, and 10,728 families residing in the county. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 108 people per square mile (42/km²). There were 21,612 housing units at an average density of 59 per square mile (23/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 98.28% White
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.24% Black
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or African American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.22% Native American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.36% Asian
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.01% Pacific Islander
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.12% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.78% from two or more races. 0.57% of the population were Hispanic
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or Latino
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
of any race. 25.4% were of English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
, 12.2% Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
, 11.7% United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
or American, 7.5% German and 5.7% French
French people
The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
ancestry according to Census 2000. 97.1% spoke English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
and 1.5% French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
as their first language.
There were 16,608 households out of which 28.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.20% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 9.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.40% were non-families. 29.00% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.70% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.31 and the average family size was 2.83.
In the county the population was spread out with 22.40% under the age of 18, 6.30% from 18 to 24, 27.40% from 25 to 44, 26.70% from 45 to 64, and 17.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 95.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.00 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $36,774, and the median income for a family was $43,819. Males had a median income of $30,704 versus $22,382 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the county was $19,981. About 6.40% of families and 10.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.90% of those under age 18 and 8.00% of those age 65 or over.
Politics
| Year | Democrat Democratic Party (United States) The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous... |
Republican Republican Party (United States) The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S... |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 59.7% 13,728 | 38.4% 8,816 |
| 2004 | 54.6% 12,690 | 43.5% 10,103 |
| 2000 | 46.1% 9,453 | 43.7% 8,968 |
Cities and towns
- AppletonAppleton, MaineAppleton is a town in Knox County, Maine, United States. The population was 1,271 at the 2000 census.-History:The town was named for Samuel Appleton, father-in-law of Amos Lawrence, founder of Lawrence University.-Geography:...
- CamdenCamden, MaineCamden is a town in Knox County, Maine, United States. The population was 5,254 at the 2000 census. The population of the town more than triples during the summer months, due to tourists and summer residents. Camden is a famous summer colony in the Mid-Coast region of Maine...
- CushingCushing, MaineCushing is a town in Knox County, Maine, United States. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total population of 1,322. A favorite of artists for its unspoiled natural setting, Cushing includes the villages of North Cushing, Cushing, South Cushing, and Pleasant Point.-History:Part of the Waldo...
- FriendshipFriendship, MaineFriendship is a town in Knox County, Maine, United States. The population was 1,204 at the 2000 census.-History:...
- HopeHope, MaineHope is a town in Knox County, Maine, United States. The population was 1,310 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water.-Demographics:...
- Isle au HautIsle au Haut, MaineIsle au Haut is a town in Knox County, Maine, United States, on an island of the same name in Penobscot Bay. The population was 79 at the 2000 census. Home to portions of Acadia National Park, Isle au Haut is accessible by mailboat from Stonington.-History:Native Americans left behind shell mounds...
- Matinicus IsleMatinicus Isle, MaineMatinicus Isle is a plantation in Knox County, Maine, United States. The population was 51 at the 2000 census, although during the summer that number can triple or quadruple. Remote Matinicus Island is accessible by ferry from Rockland, located away, or by air taxi from Knox County Regional Airport...
- North HavenNorth Haven, MaineNorth Haven is a town in Knox County, Maine, United States, in Penobscot Bay. The town is both a year-round island community and a prominent summer colony. The population was 381 at the 2000 census...
- Owls HeadOwls Head, MaineOwls Head is a town in Knox County, Maine, United States. The population was 1,601 at the 2000 census. A resort and fishing area, the community is home to the Knox County Regional Airport...
- RocklandRockland, MaineRockland is a city in Knox County, Maine, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 7,297. It is the county seat of Knox County. The city is a popular tourist destination...
- RockportRockport, MaineRockport is a town in Knox County, Maine, United States. The population was 3,209 at the 2000 census. Rockport is a popular tourist destination and art colony.-History:...
- Saint George
- South ThomastonSouth Thomaston, MaineSouth Thomaston is a town in Knox County, Maine, United States. The population was 1,416 at the 2000 census. A fishing and resort area, the town includes the village of Spruce Head.-History:...
- ThomastonThomaston, MaineThomaston, Maine is a town on the coast of Maine the United States. The name may also refer to:*Thomaston , Maine, a census-designated place comprising the center of the town*South Thomaston, Maine, an adjacent town...
- UnionUnion, MaineUnion is a town in Knox County, Maine, United States. The population was 2,209 at the 2000 census. It is home to the Matthews Museum of Maine Heritage and annual Union Fair.-History:...
- VinalhavenVinalhaven, MaineVinalhaven is a town located in the Fox Islands in Knox County, Maine, United States. The population was 1,235 at the 2000 census. It is home to a thriving lobster fishery and hosts a summer colony...
- WarrenWarren, MaineWarren is a town in Knox County, Maine, United States. The population was 3,794 at the 2000 census. It includes the villages of East Warren, Warren and South Warren, the latter home to the Maine State Prison and minimum security Bolduc Correctional Facility....
- WashingtonWashington, MaineWashington is a town in Knox County, Maine, United States. The population was 1,345 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water....