Maine Counties

Aroostook

Aroostook County is Maine's northernmost, known as "the County," to its residents, and is the state's largest. The county name derives from Indian term for "beautiful river".

It was established on May 1, 1839, in the midst of the dispute known as the "Aroostook War," and 187 years after the creation of York County, the first in Maine. Famed for its potato growing, the County's premiere crop has declined steadily as has its population.

Nevertheless, agriculture still dominates the County's economy and its culture. The county is the nation's third largest producer of potatoes.

The large tracts of land with both forests and open spaces have attracted snowmobile enthusiasts each winter as thousands ply the hundreds of miles of trails leading all across the County.

In 2002, the per capita personal income in Aroostook County was $23,125. This was an increase of 31.4% from 1997. The 2002 figure was 75% of the national per capita income, which was $30,906.

SIZE:
6,453 square miles

INCORPORATED:
1839

COUNTY SEAT:
Houlton

POPULATION:
73,938

CITIES:
Caribou, Presque Isle

TOWNS:
Allagash, Amity, Ashland, Bancroft, Blaine, Bridgewater, Castle Hill, Caswell, Chapman, Crystal, Dyer Brook, Eagle Lake, Easton, Fort Fairfield, Fort Kent, Frenchville, Grand Isle, Hamlin, Hammond, Haynesville, Hersey, Hodgdon, Houlton, Island Falls, Limestone, Linneus, Littleton, Ludlow, Madawaska, Mapleton, Mars Hill, Masardis, Merrill, Monticello, New Canada, New Limerick, New Sweden, Oakfield, Orient, Perham, Portage Lake, Saint Agatha, Saint Francis, Sherman, Smyrna, Stockholm, Van Buren, Wade, Washburn, Westfield, Westmanland, Weston, and Woodland