Poverty & Welfare in Maine

Poverty, food assistance, Medicaid and social safety net programs.

Poverty rate, all ages (SAIPE)
10.6%
2024 · Census Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates
Supplemental Poverty Measure rate
5.8%
2025 · Census CPS ASEC public-use file
Poverty rate, ages 0–17 (SAIPE)
12.3%
2024 · Census Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates
SNAP food assistance recipients
170,641
2023 · Census SAIPE program
Households receiving SNAP
12.7%
2024 · Census American Community Survey 1-year estimates

Official Poverty

Poverty rate, all ages (SAIPE)
10.6%
2024 · Census Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates

Poverty rate, all ages (SAIPE)

1989–2024
10.6%

Census Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (FRED PPAAME23000A156NCEN).

Supplemental Poverty

Supplemental Poverty Measure rate
5.8%
2025 · Census CPS ASEC public-use file

Supplemental Poverty Measure rate

2018–2025
5.8%

Census CPS ASEC public-use file, SPM poverty status weighted by person weight; income year shown (single-year state estimate, wider margin of error than Census's 3-year averages).

Child Poverty

Poverty rate, ages 0–17 (SAIPE)
12.3%
2024 · Census Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates

Poverty rate, ages 0–17 (SAIPE)

1989–2024
12.3%

Census Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (FRED PPU18ME23000A156NCEN).

SNAP Food Assistance

SNAP food assistance recipients
170,641
2023 · Census SAIPE program

SNAP food assistance recipients

1989–2023
170,641▲ 80%

Census SAIPE program, SNAP benefit recipients, July count (FRED BR23000MEA647NCEN).

Safety Net Impact

Households receiving SNAP
12.7%
2024 · Census American Community Survey 1-year estimates
Households with cash public assistance income
2.9%
2024 · Census American Community Survey 1-year estimates

Households receiving SNAP

2008–2024
12.7%

Census American Community Survey 1-year estimates, B22001 (2020 not released).

Households with cash public assistance income

2008–2024
2.9%

Census American Community Survey 1-year estimates, B19057 (2020 not released).