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Cumberland County, ME
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Cumberland County is an incredible county in Maine that is simply underrated. It is a quiet, peaceful area that is filled with immense beauty and charm. With around 295,003 residents, Cumberland ranks as Maine's most populous county. The county seat is Portland, which is Maine's largest city.
Most visitors immediately notice the alluring waters that surround Cumberland County. Sebago Lake is one of the largest water bodies in Maine, and is located directly in Cumberland. This body of water supplies most of the inhabitants their tap water.
Consisting of the Port of Portland and the Maine Mall, this county is known to be a driving force of Maine's industrial and economic power. At least one major corporation, IDEXX Laboratories, has its headquarters in Cumberland County, among many other large employers.
If you are a fan of the author Stephen King, you will be interested to know that his novel titled Salem's Lot is set around Cumberland County.
History of Cumberland County
The county of Cumberland has an interesting history. It was established on November 1, 1760 and named after William Augustus, who was the Duke of Cumberland and the son of King George 2. Before 1760, Cumberland County was part of York County in Massachusetts. York County and Cumberland County did not break away from Massachusetts until 1820. The French and English settled in the area, and it eventually became a heavily used seaport in the 1900's. This brought a large amount of immigrants to the area from Ireland, Italy, Great Britain, and Scandinavia.
County Geography
Cumberland County measures to be around 1,217 square miles. It consists of 835 square miles of land and 382 square miles of water. The population per square mile is 337.2.
Three cities are nestled in this county: Westbrook, Portland, and South Portland. Within these cities, there are 25 different towns, such as Yarmouth, Windham, Baldwin, Standish, Brunswick, Sebago, Cape Elizabeth, Scarborough, Raymond, Casco, Pownal, North Yarmouth, Chebeague Island, New Gloucester, Naples, Cumberland, Long Island, Falmouth, Harrison, Freeport, Harpswell, Gray, Frye Island, and Gorham.
If you are considering moving to Cumberland County, there are a variety of different style homes to choose from depending on the land and waterfront real estate available. You will find York County to the southwest, Sagadahoc County to the northeast, Androscoggin County to the north, and Oxford county to the northwest.
Cumberland County Demographics
The county of Cumberland, Maine has seen a small population growth over the last decade. In 2010, the population was 281,674. It had grown to be 295,003 by 2019. This is a decent population growth based on the size of the county. Children under 18 years of age make up 23 percent of the population, and adults 65 and over make up 19 percent.
Non-Hispanic white residents make up 90.1 percent of Cumberland County, Black or African American make up 3.2 percent, Asian make up 3.2 percent, and Hispanic or Latino make up 2.2 percent. Around 6.1 percent are foreign born, and almost half of the entire county possesses a bachelor's degree or higher-level education.
The median income per household in the county is $44,048, whereas per family it is $54,485. Around 68 percent of individuals living in Cumberland own their homes.
What Makes Cumberland County Run
With a much lower than average unemployment rate and an increasing job market, Cumberland County's economy does well. Manufacturing (7.2 percent), finance and insurance (7.2 percent), construction (5.5 percent), and retail trade (13 percent) are the biggest economic resources in this county. Other bustling parts of the economy include agriculture, wholesale trade, transportation and warehousing, information, and utilities.
There are three colleges situated in Cumberland County including University of Southern Maine, Bowdoin College, and Southern Maine Community College. The majority of degrees awarded from these institutions were in nursing, business, or political science and government.
Overall, the economy of Cumberland County is thriving. Most of the products that are manufactured in the area include electronics, shoes and footwear, food, wood and lumber, paper, and more. In addition, it has a vibrant restaurant scene, retail stores, and a good healthcare system.
Cumberland County Attractions
There is so much to do and see when visiting this county. If you enjoy nature and beautiful sceneries, this is the perfect place for you. A few of the most popular things to do are the Maine Wildlife Park, Giant's Stairs Trail, Portland Observatory, Maine Foodie Tours, The Bar of Chocolate Café, Ten Apple Farm, Maine Brews Cruise, Androscoggin Swinging Bridge, the Eastern Promenade, Rocky Bottom Fisheries, Peaks Island, Cascade Falls Trail, Wine Wise, Bug Light Park, Wolfe's Neck Woods State Park, Fort Williams Park, and much more.
There are also a variety of museums to visit, including the Baxter House Museum, the Carriage Museum of Skyline Farm, Cushing's Point Museum, Fifth Maine Regimental Museum, Maine Historical Society, Museum of Chebeague History, Naples Historical Society and Museum, Peary-MacMillan Arctic Museum, Portland Harbor Museum, the Scarborough Maine Historical Society and Museum, the Tate House, and more.
Additional Cumberland County Information
