kids encyclopedia robot

Somerset County, Maine facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Quick facts for kids
Somerset County
U.S. county
Somerset County Courthouse
Somerset County Courthouse
Map of Maine highlighting Somerset County
Location within the U.S. state of Maine
Map of the United States highlighting Maine
Maine's location within the U.S.
Country  United States
State  Maine
Founded 1809
Named for Somerset County, England
Seat Skowhegan
Largest town Skowhegan
Area
 • Total 4,094 sq mi (10,600 km2)
 • Land 3,924 sq mi (10,160 km2)
 • Water 169 sq mi (440 km2)  4.1%%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 50,477
 • Density 12.3295/sq mi (4.7604/km2)
Time zone UTC−5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district 2nd

Somerset County is a county located in the state of Maine, United States. In 2020, about 50,477 people lived there. The main town and county seat is Skowhegan.

History of Somerset County

Somerset County was created on March 1, 1809. It was formed from parts of Kennebec County. The county was named after Somerset County in England.

Geography of Somerset County

Somerset County is a large area. It covers about 4,094 square miles (10,600 km²). Most of this area, 3,924 square miles (10,160 km²), is land. The rest, about 169 square miles (438 km²), is water. Water makes up about 4.1% of the county's total area. It is the third biggest county in Maine by size.

Mountains to Explore

Somerset County has several notable mountains. These include:

Rivers and Lakes

Many beautiful bodies of water are found here. Some important ones are:

Main Roads and Highways

Several important roads run through Somerset County. They help people travel around and connect to other places.

  • Interstate 95
  • Maine State Route 6
  • Maine State Route 8
  • Maine State Route 11
  • Maine State Route 15
  • Maine State Route 16
  • Maine State Route 27
  • Maine State Route 100
  • Maine State Route 104
  • Maine State Route 137
  • Maine State Route 139
  • U.S. Route 2
  • U.S. Route 201
    • Armstrong–Jackman Border Crossing
  • U.S. Route 201A

Neighboring Areas

Somerset County shares its borders with many other counties and regions. It is one of the few counties in the United States that borders ten other areas.

  • Aroostook County – to the north
  • Penobscot County – to the east
  • Piscataquis County – to the east
  • Waldo County – to the southeast
  • Kennebec County – to the south
  • Franklin County – to the southwest
  • Le Granit Regional County Municipality, Quebec – to the west (in Canada)
  • Beauce-Sartigan Regional County Municipality, Quebec – to the west (in Canada)
  • Les Etchemins Regional County Municipality, Quebec – to the northwest (in Canada)
  • Montmagny Regional County Municipality, Quebec – to the northwest (in Canada)

Population Information

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
1810 12,910 —
1820 21,787 68.8%
1830 35,787 64.3%
1840 33,912 −5.2%
1850 35,581 4.9%
1860 36,753 3.3%
1870 34,611 −5.8%
1880 32,333 −6.6%
1890 32,627 0.9%
1900 33,849 3.7%
1910 36,301 7.2%
1920 37,171 2.4%
1930 39,111 5.2%
1940 38,245 −2.2%
1950 39,785 4.0%
1960 39,749 −0.1%
1970 40,597 2.1%
1980 45,028 10.9%
1990 49,767 10.5%
2000 50,888 2.3%
2010 52,228 2.6%
2020 50,477 −3.4%
2023 (est.) 51,302 −1.8%
U.S. Decennial Census
1790–1960 1900–1990
1990–2000 2010–2016

In 2010, there were 52,228 people living in Somerset County. Most people, about 97.1%, were white. About 0.8% of the population was of Hispanic or Latino background. The average age of people living in the county was 43.6 years old.

Towns and Communities

Somerset County has many towns and other types of communities.

Towns

Census-Designated Places

These are areas that are like towns but are counted separately for census data.

Plantations

Plantations are small, rural communities.

Unorganized Territories

These are areas that do not have their own local government.

Villages

Villages are smaller communities within towns or other areas.

Education in Somerset County

Somerset County has many schools for students of all ages.

School Districts

These districts manage the public schools in different areas.

  • MSAD 4
  • MSAD 12
  • MSAD 13
  • MSAD 49
  • MSAD 53
  • MSAD 54
  • MSAD 59
  • MSAD 74

High Schools

Here are some of the high schools in the county:

  • Carrabec High School – in North Anson
  • Faith Baptist Christian School – in Skowhegan (serves many grades)
  • Forest Hills Consolidated School (Kindergarten to 12th grade) – in Jackman
  • Lawrence High School – in Fairfield
  • Madison Area Memorial High School – in Madison
  • Maine Academy of Natural Sciences – in Hinckley
  • Maine Central Institute – in Pittsfield
  • Skowhegan Area High School – in Skowhegan
  • Upper Kennebec Valley Memorial High School – in Bingham

Colleges and Higher Learning

For students who want to continue their education after high school:

  • Kennebec Valley Community College

Other Educational Places

  • Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture
  • L.C. Bates Museum
kids search engine
All content from Kiddle encyclopedia articles (including the article images and facts) can be freely used under Attribution-ShareAlike license, unless stated otherwise. Cite this article:
Somerset County, Maine Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.