Washington County, Maine facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Washington County
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Washington County Courthouse
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Location within the U.S. state of Maine
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 Maine's location within the U.S. |
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| Country |  United States |
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| State |  Maine |
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| Founded | June 25, 1789 | |
| Named for | George Washington | |
| Seat | Machias | |
| Largest city | Calais | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 3,258 sq mi (8,440 km2) | |
| • Land | 2,563 sq mi (6,640 km2) | |
| • Water | 695 sq mi (1,800 km2) 21%% | |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 31,095 | |
| • Estimate
(2023)
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31,555  |
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| • Density | 9.5442/sq mi (3.6850/km2) | |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) | |
| Congressional district | 2nd | |
Washington County is a special area, called a county, in the state of Maine, USA. In 2020, about 31,095 people lived here. This makes it the third smallest county in Maine by population. The main town, or county seat, is Machias. It was created on June 25, 1789.
Washington County shares a border with New Brunswick, a province in Canada. People sometimes call it "Sunrise County." This is because it has the easternmost point in the 48 connected United States. Some say the sun rises here first in these states. Many small towns along the coast rely on small-scale fishing. Tourism is also important along the county's shore. The blueberry crop is a very big part of the county's economy.
Contents
Exploring Washington County's Geography
Washington County covers a large area. It has a total size of about 3,258 square miles. Most of this is land, about 2,563 square miles. The rest, about 695 square miles, is water. Water makes up about 21% of the county's total area.
Neighboring Counties and Countries
Washington County shares its borders with other counties and even another country.
- To the southwest is Hancock County.
- To the northwest are Penobscot County and Aroostook County.
- To the northeast is York County, Canada.
- To the east is Charlotte County, Canada.
Special Protected Areas
Washington County is home to several important protected areas. These places help keep nature safe.
- Cross Island National Wildlife Refuge
- Moosehorn National Wildlife Refuge
- Petit Manan National Wildlife Refuge
- Saint Croix Island International Historic Site
Main Roads in the County
Several major roads help people travel through Washington County.
US 1
US 1A
SR 6
SR 9
People of Washington County
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1790 | 2,760 | — | |
| 1800 | 4,461 | 61.6% | |
| 1810 | 7,870 | 76.4% | |
| 1820 | 12,744 | 61.9% | |
| 1830 | 21,294 | 67.1% | |
| 1840 | 28,327 | 33.0% | |
| 1850 | 38,811 | 37.0% | |
| 1860 | 42,534 | 9.6% | |
| 1870 | 43,343 | 1.9% | |
| 1880 | 44,484 | 2.6% | |
| 1890 | 44,482 | 0.0% | |
| 1900 | 45,232 | 1.7% | |
| 1910 | 42,905 | −5.1% | |
| 1920 | 41,709 | −2.8% | |
| 1930 | 37,826 | −9.3% | |
| 1940 | 37,767 | −0.2% | |
| 1950 | 35,187 | −6.8% | |
| 1960 | 32,908 | −6.5% | |
| 1970 | 29,859 | −9.3% | |
| 1980 | 34,963 | 17.1% | |
| 1990 | 35,308 | 1.0% | |
| 2000 | 33,941 | −3.9% | |
| 2010 | 32,856 | −3.2% | |
| 2020 | 31,095 | −5.4% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 31,555 | −4.0% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1790–1960 1900–1990 1990–2000 2010–2016 |
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In 2022, there were about 12 people living in each square mile of Washington County. This shows it is not a very crowded place.
Life in 2010
In 2010, about 32,856 people lived in the county. There were 14,302 homes. About 25.9% of these homes had children under 18 living there. The average age of people in the county was 46.1 years. Most people, about 92.1%, were white. About 4.9% were American Indian.
The average income for a family in the county was about $43,612. About 19.8% of all people lived below the poverty line. This included about 29.3% of those under 18 years old.
Towns and Communities
Washington County has several cities, towns, and other communities.
Cities
Towns
- Addison
- Alexander
- Baileyville
- Beals
- Beddington
- Charlotte
- Cherryfield
- Columbia
- Columbia Falls
- Cooper
- Crawford
- Cutler
- Danforth
- Deblois
- Dennysville
- East Machias
- Harrington
- Jonesboro
- Jonesport
- Lubec
- Machias (county seat)
- Machiasport
- Marshfield
- Meddybemps
- Milbridge
- Northfield
- Pembroke
- Perry
- Princeton
- Robbinston
- Roque Bluffs
- Steuben
- Talmadge
- Topsfield
- Vanceboro
- Waite
- Wesley
- Whiting
- Whitneyville
Plantations
Unorganized Territories
These areas are not part of any town.
Indian Reservations
- Passamaquoddy Pleasant Point Reservation
- Passamaquoddy Indian Township Reservation
Census-Designated Places
These are areas the government tracks for population data.
Getting Around: Public Transportation
Washington County does not have a big public transportation system. West Bus Services helps people get around. They are based in Milbridge.
The Coastal Connection route runs daily. It connects many communities. These include Calais, Machias, Jonesport, and Bangor. This trip takes about 3.5 hours.
Learning and Education
Many school districts serve Washington County. They help students from kindergarten through high school.
K-12 School Districts
- Alexander School District
- Baileyville School District
- Baring Plantation School District
- Beddington School District
- Calais School District
- Charlotte School District
- Cherryfield School District
- Cooper School District
- Crawford School District
- Cutler School District
- Deblois School District
- Dennysville School District
- East Machias School District
- Eastport School District
- Great Lake Stream Plantation School District
- Indian Township School District
- Jonesboro School District
- Machias School District
- Machiasport School District
- Marshfield School District
- Meddybemps School District
- Northfield School District
- Pembroke School District
- Perry School District
- Pleasant Point School District
- Princeton School District
- Regional School Unit 24
- Robbinston School District
- Roque Bluffs School District
- School Administrative District 14
- School Administrative District 19
- School Administrative District 37
- Talmadge School District
- Vanceboro School District
- Waite School District
- Wesley School District
- Whiting School District
- Whitneyville School District
High School Districts
- Moosabec Community School District
Elementary School Districts
- Beals School District
- Jonesport School District
Some parts of the county are "Unorganized Territory." This means they are not part of any town or city.
Famous People from Washington County
Many interesting people have come from Washington County.
- Jeremiah O'Brien (1744-1818) was a commander in the first naval battle of the Revolutionary War. He was from Machias.
- Hiram Burnham (1814-1864) was a Civil War general from Cherryfield.
- Carl Willey (1931-2009) was a professional baseball player. He was from Cherryfield.
- Katie Aselton (born 1978) is an American actress and film director. She was born in Milbridge.
Images for kids
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Washington County Courthouse
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Washington (Maine) para niños
