Jobs, pay and daily life in Old Town, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Old Town is a city in Maine with 7,470 residents. The median household earns $51,585 a year and the median rent is $989 a month, which is 23.0% of the median household income. It is part of the Bangor, ME metropolitan area, where BLS counts 72,270 jobs.
How Old Town compares. Among the 40 largest places in Maine, Old Town is #20 by population, #5 for remote work (#1 = most), #35 for household income (#1 = highest), #9 for long commutes (#1 = fewest). Its county, Penobscot County, is #7 of 16 counties for average pay ($55,593).
Old Town has 7,470 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.5% of the population of Maine. It covers 39 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 192 people per square mile. The median age is 37.0, 17% younger than the state median (37.0 against 44.8).
The median gross rent is $989 a month (rent plus utilities), 13% below the state median ($989 against $1,139). Over a year that is 23.0% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $208,100, which is 4.0 times the median household income ($51,585). 59.3% of households own their home, 20% below the state average (59.3% against 74.3%). A low ownership share points to a rental-heavy market with more apartments and shorter stays.
The Bangor, ME metropolitan area has 72,270 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $47,960 a year, 6% below the national median ($47,960 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are office and administrative support (8,560 jobs, median $46,890); sales and related (6,680 jobs, median $36,360); food preparation and serving related (6,670 jobs, median $35,590). The area is most specialised in healthcare practitioners and technical (1.3 times) and sales and related (1.1 times), where the share of workers is above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are healthcare practitioners and technical ($82,410) and office and administrative support ($46,890). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Penobscot County was 3.4%. 65.0% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Penobscot County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 62.4% drive alone, 0.5% use public transit, 3.2% walk, 21.4% work from home. 6.0% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 59% below the state average (6.0% against 14.5%). Remote work is more common than in the state as a whole, which widens the set of employers a resident can work for without moving.
36.8% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, about the same as the state share (36.8% against 36.2%). 3.2% of residents were born outside the United States, 22% below the state share (3.2% against 4.1%). The poverty rate is 21.3%, 98% above the state rate (21.3% against 10.8%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 68°F (19.9°C), and the coolest is Jan at 17°F (-8.6°C). About 1,212 mm (48 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Oct is the wettest month (142 mm) and Feb the driest (73 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Orono (6 miles, rent 29% higher); Bangor (9 miles, rent 7% higher); Brewer (12 miles, rent 10% higher); Hampden (15 miles, rent 15% higher). Rent differences are against Old Town; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Maine (185) →State guide: MaineCountry guidePenobscot CountyMaine rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 185 federal postings open in Maine (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 2,550 | 1.42 | $34,140 | $30,470 | $37,700 | +9% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 2,290 | 1.14 | $37,900 | $34,160 | $44,900 | +6% |
| Retail Salespersons | 2,210 | 1.22 | $35,560 | $30,630 | $47,850 | +0% |
| Registered Nurses | 2,190 | 1.39 | $93,940 | $75,580 | $102,660 | -4% |
| Cashiers | 1,990 | 1.38 | $32,200 | $30,470 | $37,090 | -2% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 1,440 | 1.09 | $37,040 | $31,050 | $47,570 | -1% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 1,440 | 1.50 | $56,250 | $39,100 | $64,290 | -4% |
| General and Operations Managers | 1,430 | 0.88 | $91,110 | $47,990 | $175,110 | -14% |
| Office Clerks, General | 1,390 | 1.22 | $45,310 | $33,860 | $57,770 | +1% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 1,370 | 1.34 | $37,080 | $32,780 | $47,190 | +1% |
| Nursing Assistants | 1,110 | 1.65 | $46,970 | $38,920 | $60,220 | +11% |
| Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary | 1,030 | 1.56 | $45,120 | $35,600 | $49,570 | +23% |
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | 940 | 1.45 | $60,080 | $46,380 | $83,490 | -6% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 900 | 0.85 | $45,610 | $30,470 | $91,180 | +29% |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 870 | 1.10 | $48,170 | $39,210 | $59,320 | +1% |
| Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks | 780 | 1.23 | $49,000 | $39,510 | $66,500 | -3% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers | 760 | 1.46 | $52,200 | $38,620 | $74,520 | +8% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 720 | 0.53 | $41,600 | $31,170 | $48,160 | +3% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 710 | 0.59 | $42,530 | $34,080 | $59,430 | -5% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers | 680 | 1.02 | $64,620 | $46,680 | $102,230 | -7% |
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurses | 2,190 | 1.39 | $93,940 | $75,580 | $102,660 | -4% |
| General and Operations Managers | 1,430 | 0.88 | $91,110 | $47,990 | $175,110 | -14% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers | 680 | 1.02 | $64,620 | $46,680 | $102,230 | -7% |
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | 940 | 1.45 | $60,080 | $46,380 | $83,490 | -6% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 1,440 | 1.50 | $56,250 | $39,100 | $64,290 | -4% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers | 760 | 1.46 | $52,200 | $38,620 | $74,520 | +8% |
| Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks | 780 | 1.23 | $49,000 | $39,510 | $66,500 | -3% |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 870 | 1.10 | $48,170 | $39,210 | $59,320 | +1% |
| Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants | 650 | 1.46 | $47,640 | $38,630 | $58,580 | +4% |
| Medical Assistants | 670 | 1.77 | $47,120 | $39,620 | $55,860 | +3% |
| Nursing Assistants | 1,110 | 1.65 | $46,970 | $38,920 | $60,220 | +11% |
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | 600 | 0.84 | $46,960 | $36,240 | $68,900 | -5% |
| Social and Human Service Assistants | 660 | 3.22 | $46,590 | $38,550 | $59,040 | +1% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 900 | 0.85 | $45,610 | $30,470 | $91,180 | +29% |
| Office Clerks, General | 1,390 | 1.22 | $45,310 | $33,860 | $57,770 | +1% |
| Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary | 1,030 | 1.56 | $45,120 | $35,600 | $49,570 | +23% |
| Construction Laborers | 530 | 1.05 | $44,420 | $33,700 | $55,730 | -6% |
| Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers | 510 | 1.16 | $43,620 | $32,830 | $50,680 | +11% |
| Light Truck Drivers | 580 | 1.27 | $43,420 | $31,290 | $93,670 | -3% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 710 | 0.59 | $42,530 | $34,080 | $59,430 | -5% |
These figures are for the whole Bangor, ME metropolitan area, not the city alone.
Median pay across all occupations: $47,960 (US $50,980); unemployment 3.4% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 45.4% |
| Retail trade | 15.7% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 8.5% |
| Public administration | 5.7% |
| Construction | 4.8% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 4.6% |
| Other services | 4.0% |
| Manufacturing | 3.9% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 2.7% |
| Wholesale trade | 1.7% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 1.2% |
| Information | 1.1% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 0.8% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Old Town lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Penobscot County | 154,710 | $9,643 million | $62,333 | 71,983 | 5,259 | $55,593 | +2.2% | 3.4% | 74,881 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 15,681 | 26.7% | $65,036 | 1.52 |
| Retail trade | 10,657 | 18.1% | $38,540 | 1.48 |
| Accommodation and food services | 6,263 | 10.7% | $27,776 | 0.96 |
| Construction | 3,921 | 6.7% | $70,658 | 1.04 |
| Manufacturing | 2,830 | 4.8% | $60,968 | 0.48 |
| Administrative and waste services | 2,745 | 4.7% | $39,076 | 0.65 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 2,682 | 4.6% | $54,324 | 0.88 |
| Wholesale trade | 2,284 | 3.9% | $71,187 | 0.81 |
| Professional and technical services | 2,253 | 3.8% | $80,099 | 0.45 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 1,906 | 3.2% | $40,960 | 0.88 |
| Management of companies | 1,893 | 3.2% | $93,616 | 1.56 |
| Finance and insurance | 1,448 | 2.5% | $83,217 | 0.50 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 1,146 | 2.0% | $22,028 | 0.95 |
| Educational services | 1,100 | 1.9% | $45,837 | 0.74 |
| Real estate and rental | 782 | 1.3% | $51,989 | 0.70 |
| Information | 754 | 1.3% | $67,439 | 0.56 |
| Utilities | 386 | 0.7% | $118,429 | 1.41 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 62.4% |
| Public transit | 0.5% |
| Walk | 3.2% |
| Work from home | 21.4% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 6.0% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $51,585 |
| Income per person | $32,781 |
| Median gross rent per month | $989 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 23.0% |
| Median home value | $208,100 |
| Homeowners | 59.3% |
| Poverty rate | 21.3% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | 96.5 |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | $47,960 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set; graduated states show 0 until you enter your own estimate. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Graduated, top rate 7.15%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 37.0 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 98.7% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 36.8% |
| Born abroad | 3.2% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 65.0% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -8.6 | 17 | 74 |
| Feb | -7.4 | 19 | 73 |
| Mar | -2.1 | 28 | 83 |
| Apr | 5.0 | 41 | 103 |
| May | 11.4 | 53 | 99 |
| Jun | 16.4 | 62 | 120 |
| Jul | 19.9 | 68 | 90 |
| Aug | 19.4 | 67 | 100 |
| Sep | 15.6 | 60 | 93 |
| Oct | 8.8 | 48 | 142 |
| Nov | 2.2 | 36 | 117 |
| Dec | -4.4 | 24 | 118 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Orono | ME | 6 mi | 11,151 | $59,784 | $1,280 |
| Bangor | ME | 9 mi | 31,938 | $59,942 | $1,055 |
| Brewer | ME | 12 mi | 9,652 | $66,613 | $1,086 |
| Hampden | ME | 15 mi | 5,161 | $112,228 | $1,133 |
| Ellsworth | ME | 29 mi | 8,657 | $77,375 | $1,017 |
| Belfast | ME | 39 mi | 6,986 | $67,679 | $962 |
| Millinocket | ME | 49 mi | 3,779 | $50,445 | $451 |
| Skowhegan | ME | 49 mi | 6,662 | $45,388 | $880 |
| Winslow | ME | 51 mi | 5,873 | $59,547 | $1,036 |
| Waterville | ME | 53 mi | 17,077 | $53,580 | $978 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
7,470 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$989 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 23.0% of the median household income.
$51,585 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
3.4% (BLS county, Penobscot County (latest month 2026M09)).
Maine. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.