Maine Counties were first formed while part of the Mississippi Territory and after that Maine Territory. Each county of Maine serves the local level of government within its borders. The most populous counties are primarily located in the southeastern portion of Maine along the Atlantic Seaboard. The biggest counties in terms of land area are further north and inland.
How Many Counties in Maine
The US state of Maine has 16 counties. The FIPS (Federal Information Processing Standard) Code of Maine State is 23. When this is combined with any county code would be written as 23XXX. Check this Maine County Map which provides the location of all counties on the Maine Map.
Counties of Maine
- Androscoggin County Map
- Aroostook County Map
- Cumberland County Map
- Franklin County Map
- Hancock County Map
- Kennebec County Map
- Knox County Map
- Lincoln County Map
- Oxford County Map
- Penobscot County Map
- Piscataquis County Map
- Sagadahoc County Map
- Somerset County Map
- Waldo County Map
- Washington County Map
- York County Map
History of Maine Counties
In 1652, the province of Maine became part of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. The first county created was York County. The district of Maine was created on October 25, 1780, by Massachusetts to manage its northernmost counties. On March 15, 1820, the state of Maine entered the Union as the 16th state as a part of the Missouri Compromise.
The Nine Counties were created while Maine was still part of Massachusetts and is older than the state itself. In 1854 and 1860, Sagadahoc County and Knox County were created. The names of the Counties of Maine are derived from a mix of American, British and Native American sources. The names of the counties of Maine reflect Maine’s pre-colonial, colonial and national heritage.
Newest County of Maine
The Newest and last County of Maine state was created on March 9, 1860, in Knox County.
Oldest County of Maine
The oldest and first counties of Maine were created on November 20, 1652, and was Yorkshire County (York County).
Largest County of Maine
Aroostook County is the largest county in Maine, covering an area of 6829 square miles (17,690 km2).
Smallest County of Maine
The smallest county of Maine is Sagadahoc covering an area of 370 square miles (960 km2).
Best county to live in Maine
The four best counties to live in Maine are Cumberland County, Sagadahoc County, Kennebec County and Hancock County.
Most populated and least populated county of Maine
Cumberland County is the most populated county (2020 census) in Maine, and Piscataquis County is the least populated county (2020 census) in Maine state of the United States.
Information about maps of all Counties of Maine
The maps of all counties of Maine are available on the website describing facts about counties. The map shows the location of the county within the state, its county seat, and state and county boundary. Augusta, the state capital, is also marked on all the maps. These maps can be used for various purposes.