| Washington County, Maine | |
| Map | |
 Location in the state of Maine |
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 Maine's location in the U.S. |
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| Statistics | |
| Founded | 1790 |
|---|---|
| Seat | Machias |
| Area - Total - Land - Water |
3,255 sq mi (8,430 km²) 2,568 sq mi (6,651 km²) 686 sq mi (1,777 km²), 21.09% |
| Population - (2000) - Density |
33,941 13/sq mi (5/km²) |
Washington County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maine. In 2000, its population was 33,941. Its county seat is Machias[1].
Sometimes referred to as "Sunrise Country" because it is the easternmost county in the contiguous United States,[2] and it is often where the rising sun first shines on U.S. soil. 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; nearly 85% of the world's supply of wild blueberries come from Washington County.[3]
Contents |
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 3,255 square miles (8,430 km²), of which, 2,568 square miles (6,652 km²) of it is land and 686 square miles (1,778 km²) of it (21.09%) is water.
Adjacent Counties/Provinces
- Hancock County, Maine - southwest
- Aroostook County, Maine - northwest
- Penobscot County, Maine - northwest
- York County, New Brunswick, Canada - northeast
- Charlotte County, New Brunswick, Canada - east
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Penobscot County and Aroostook County | York County, New Brunswick, Canada | |
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Charlotte County, New Brunswick, Canada | |||
 Washington County, Maine  |
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| Hancock County | Atlantic Ocean |
National protected areas
- Cross Island National Wildlife Refuge
- Moosehorn National Wildlife Refuge
- Petit Manan National Wildlife Refuge
- Saint Croix Island International Historic Site (also, Canadian interpretation site in Bayside, New Brunswick)
Demographics
As of the census[4] of 2000, there were 33,941 people, 14,118 households, and 9,303 families residing in the county. The population density was 13 people per square mile (5/km²). There were 21,919 housing units at an average density of 8 per square mile (3/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. 32.5% were of English, 14.1% Irish, 10.8% United States or American, 7.4% French and 5.0% Scottish ancestry according to Census 2000. 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.
Politics
Washington County is considered a swing county in Maine. In 2004 it was one of only two counties in Maine to vote for Republican George W. Bush over Democrat John Kerry. Bush won 49.79% to Kerry's 48.47%. In 2008, Democrat Barack Obama narrowly defeated John McCain, 49.51% to 48.50%.
Cities and towns
Territories
Indian reservations
References
- ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. http://www.naco.org/Template.cfm?Section=Find_a_County&Template=/cffiles/counties/usamap.cfm. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^ Aleutians West Census Area in Alaska is farther east, but is not a county.
- ^ Machias Maine Wild Blueberry Festival Machias Chamber of Commerce
- ^ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
External links
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