Historical United States Census totals for Somerset County, Maine


This article shows U.S. Census totals for Somerset County, Maine, broken down by municipality, from 1900 to 2000.
There are two types of incorporated municipalities in Maine, towns and cities. The tables in the New England Historical U.S. Census Totals series differentiate between towns and cities; there are two cities in Somerset County, Skowhegan and Fairfield.
Most areas of New England are entirely divided into incorporated municipalities, with no unincorporated territory. In the three northern New England states, however, some unincorporated territory does exist, generally in areas that are very sparsely populated. Maine contains significantly more unincorporated territory than the other states, with the bulk of it in interior and northern counties, including Somerset County.
Some unincorporated territory in Maine is organized into a third type of town-level municipality unique to Maine, called a plantation, while some is entirely unorganized. Due to the large extent of unincorporated territory in Somerset County, separate sections with detailed historical census totals for such areas follow the main tables below. For any census, adding up the totals for each town-level municipality, including any plantations or unorganized entities, should yield the county total.
For more information on the New England municipal system, see New England town.

Corporate changes since 1900

County Total: 33,849
Unincorporated territory reported 2,707 residents. This consisted of 2,468 residents in organized plantations, and 239 residents in unorganized territory.

1910

County Total: 36,301
Unincorporated territory reported 3,362 residents. This consisted of 2,826 residents in organized plantations, and 536 residents in unorganized territory.

1920

County Total: 37,171
Unincorporated territory reported 3,827 residents. This consisted of 3,087 residents in organized plantations, and 740 residents in unorganized territory.

1930

County Total: 39,111
Unincorporated territory reported 3,291 residents. This consisted of 2,582 residents in organized plantations, and 709 residents in unorganized territory.

1940

County Total: 38,245
Unincorporated territory reported 3,204 residents. This consisted of 2,253 residents in organized plantations, and 951 residents in unorganized territory.

1950

County Total: 39,785
Unincorporated territory reported 2,981 residents. This consisted of 1,682 residents in organized plantations, and 1,299 residents in unorganized territory.

1960

County Total: 39,749
Unincorporated territory reported 1,485 residents. This consisted of 469 residents in organized plantations, and 1,016 residents in unorganized territory.

1970

County Total: 40,597
Unincorporated territory reported 1,264 residents. This consisted of 460 residents in organized plantations, and 804 residents in unorganized territory.

1980

County Total: 45,049
Unincorporated territory reported 1,056 residents. This consisted of 425 residents in organized plantations, and 631 residents in unorganized territory.

1990

County Total: 49,767
Unincorporated territory reported 1,041 residents. This consisted of 348 residents in organized plantations, and 693 residents in unorganized territory.

2000

County Total: 50,888
Unincorporated territory reported 1,114 residents. This consisted of 333 residents in organized plantations, and 781 residents in unorganized territory.

Plantations

As of 1900, Somerset County contained sixteen plantations. Six still exist today. Three of the plantations in existence as of 1900 have since incorporated as towns. The remaining seven have all surrendered their organization and reverted to unorganized territory: Carrying Place, Long Pond, Mayfield, Lexington, Bigelow, Flagstaff and Dead River. The last two dissolved after the area in which they were located was flooded due to dam construction.
In addition to those already listed, the former town of Concord operated as a plantation for about four years following its disincorporation as a town, from 1935 to 1939. It then surrendered its organization and reverted to unorganized territory.
Brighton, Lexington and Mayfield were all incorporated as towns in the 19th century, but had disincorporated and changed to a plantation form of government prior to 1900.
1900
1910
1920
1930
1940
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
2000
Like all of Maine's interior counties, Somerset County contains a significant amount of unorganized territory. Most of it is in the northern and central parts of the county, in areas which are very sparsely populated. Historically, only about the southern third of the county has been incorporated or organized. The general divider between the organized and unorganized parts was the northern boundary of Highland Plantation, Pleasant Ridge Plantation, the town of Moscow, and the former town of Mayfield. All territory south of that line was historically organized, with all but Highland and Pleasant Ridge once incorporated as towns. North of that line, the vast majority of the county was never organized; up until the 1950s there were never any incorporated towns, just a few scattered plantations. The only areas north of the line that have ever been organized are in three clusters:

Most of the northern part of the county is quite remote and has never had any significant population on more than a transitory basis. The distinction between a “township” and a “gore-like entity”, etc. in Somerset County is not always clear, as there are a number of surveyed townships labeled as “gores” or “grants”. There are at least sixty townships in the county which have never been organized, however, along with a number of additional gore-like entities. Note that there are oddly two different unorganized townships in the county commonly known as Bald Mountain Township.

Between 1935 and 1945, a large number of municipalities in Maine dissolved and reverted to unorganized townships. In Somerset County, this included one community which had historically been a town, and three which had historically been plantations. In 1951, two additional plantations in the Dead River valley dissolved and reverted to unorganized territory due to the impending construction of a dam.
The areas of Somerset County that are entirely unorganized cover about, with a population of about 800 people. This covers about two-thirds of the county’s land area, but includes only about 1.5% of its population. One unorganized community of particular note is Rockwood Strip. Located on the west shore of Moosehead Lake, Rockwood has a significant enough population base to have its own post office and telephone exchange, but it has never organized as a plantation or incorporated as a town. It currently maintains a registrar and clerk, but has never had a true organized municipal government.
Over the years, the U.S. Census Bureau has used different methods to compile data for unorganized territory in Maine. From 1900 to 1950, data was tabulated for each individual unorganized entity. In 1960, a single catch-all “Unorganized Territory” listing was provided for each Maine county, generally with no further breakdown. Since 1970, the Census has grouped contiguous areas in each county into one or more “unorganized territories”. As of the 2000 Census, four such areas are recognized within Somerset County:
When the Unorganized Territories were first created for the 1970 Census, there were just two in Somerset County: Central Somerset and North Somerset. Central Somerset was the same as it is currently. North Somerset was all other unorganized territory in the county. For the 1980 Census, North Somerset was broken up into Northeast Somerset, Northwest Somerset, and Seboomook Lake.
The listings below provide population figures for 1) all unincorporated territory, including plantations; 2) organized plantations, for which breakouts are available in the main tables above; and 3) unorganized territory, with any available breakouts provided.
1900
All unincorporated territory 2,707
Organized plantations 2,468
Unorganized territory 239
1910
All unincorporated territory 3,362
Organized plantations 2,826
Unorganized territory 536
1920
All unincorporated territory 3,827
Organized plantations 3,087
Unorganized territory 740
1930
All unincorporated territory 3,291
Organized plantations 2,582
Unorganized territory 709
1940
All unincorporated territory 3,204
Organized plantations 2,253
Unorganized territory 951
1950
All unincorporated territory 2,981
Organized plantations 1,682
Unorganized territory 1,299
1960
All unincorporated territory 1,485
Organized plantations 469
Unorganized territory 1,016
The 1960 Census reported all unorganized territory in Somerset County under a single catch-all listing. No breakdown is available.
1970
All unincorporated territory 1,264
Organized plantations 460
Unorganized territory 804
Starting with the 1970 Census, the unorganized territory in Somerset County was broken into groups of contiguous territory. Two such entities were recognized in 1970.
1980
All unincorporated territory 1,056
Organized plantations 425
Unorganized territory 631
For the 1980 Census, the former North Somerset Unorganized Territory was broken into three entities, for a total of four recognized within the county.
1990
All unincorporated territory 1,041
Organized plantations 348
Unorganized territory 693
2000
All unincorporated territory 1,114
Organized plantations 333
Unorganized territory 781
Note: the unorganized townships in Somerset County are on four different grids: