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; however, there have never been any cities in Somerset County.
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 (considered to be “organized”, but not incorporated), 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.
1935 – Concord disincorporated; subsequently organized as a plantation, but later reverted to unorganized territory
1957 – Moose River Plantation incorporated as a town
1958 – Jackman Plantation incorporated as a town
1977 – Caratunk Plantation incorporated as a town
County Total: 33,849
Skowhegan 5,180
Fairfield 3,878
Pittsfield 2,891
Madison 2,764
Anson 1,830
Norridgewock 1,495
Hartland 1,115
St. Albans 1,037
Solon 996
Canaan 977
Palmyra 915
New Portland 913
Athens 896
Bingham 841
Cornville 689
Starks 636
Harmony 571
Embden 567
Detroit 527
Mercer 493
Ripley 449
Smithfield 449
Moscow 378
Cambridge 364
Concord 291
Unincorporated territory reported 2,707 residents. This consisted of 2,468 residents in organized plantations, and 239 residents in unorganized territory.
County Total: 36,301
Skowhegan 5,341
Fairfield 4,435
Madison 3,379
Pittsfield 2,891
Anson 2,209
Norridgewock 1,608
Hartland 1,176
Solon 1,034
St. Albans 1,027
Palmyra 960
Athens 914
New Portland 882
Canaan 874
Bingham 775
Harmony 730
Cornville 720
Starks 549
Embden 529
Moscow 518
Detroit 461
Mercer 441
Ripley 434
Smithfield 427
Cambridge 369
Concord 256
Unincorporated territory reported 3,362 residents. This consisted of 2,826 residents in organized plantations, and 536 residents in unorganized territory.
County Total: 37,171
Skowhegan 5,981
Fairfield 4,253
Madison 3,700
Pittsfield 2,700
Anson 2,593
Norridgewock 1,532
Bingham 1,143
Hartland 1,140
Solon 1,054
St. Albans 952
New Portland 840
Harmony 838
Palmyra 824
Canaan 822
Athens 766
Cornville 637
Starks 528
Embden 475
Mercer 453
Detroit 412
Smithfield 390
Ripley 383
Moscow 365
Cambridge 318
Concord 245
Unincorporated territory reported 3,827 residents. This consisted of 3,087 residents in organized plantations, and 740 residents in unorganized territory.
County Total: 39,111
Skowhegan 6,433
Fairfield 5,132
Madison 3,956
Pittsfield 2,935
Anson 2,238
Bingham 1,592
Norridgewock 1,481
Moscow 1,455
Hartland 1,155
St. Albans 1,018
Palmyra 887
Solon 852
New Portland 818
Harmony 793
Athens 760
Canaan 714
Cornville 569
Starks 474
Detroit 415
Mercer 408
Ripley 394
Embden 393
Smithfield 374
Cambridge 324
Concord 250
Unincorporated territory reported 3,291 residents. This consisted of 2,582 residents in organized plantations, and 709 residents in unorganized territory.
County Total: 38,245
Skowhegan 7,159
Fairfield 5,294
Madison 3,836
Pittsfield 3,329
Anson 2,130
Norridgewock 1,511
Hartland 1,240
Bingham 1,210
St. Albans 950
Palmyra 934
Harmony 788
Solon 773
New Portland 765
Athens 742
Canaan 717
Cornville 626
Detroit 466
Moscow 451
Starks 426
Mercer 381
Smithfield 353
Ripley 331
Embden 319
Cambridge 310
Unincorporated territory reported 3,204 residents. This consisted of 2,253 residents in organized plantations, and 951 residents in unorganized territory.
County Total: 39,785
Skowhegan 7,422
Fairfield 5,811
Pittsfield 3,909
Madison 3,639
Anson 2,199
Norridgewock 1,784
Bingham 1,354
Hartland 1,310
St. Albans 1,035
Palmyra 965
Canaan 785
Solon 746
New Portland 733
Athens 725
Harmony 709
Cornville 563
Detroit 492
Moscow 482
Starks 421
Ripley 389
Smithfield 354
Mercer 348
Cambridge 326
Embden 303
Unincorporated territory reported 2,981 residents. This consisted of 1,682 residents in organized plantations, and 1,299 residents in unorganized territory.
County Total: 39,749
Skowhegan 7,661
Fairfield 5,829
Pittsfield 4,010
Madison 3,935
Anson 2,252
Norridgewock 1,634
Hartland 1,447
Bingham 1,308
Palmyra 1,009
Jackman 984
St. Albans 927
Canaan 800
Harmony 712
Solon 669
New Portland 620
Athens 602
Cornville 585
Detroit 564
Moscow 559
Smithfield 382
Cambridge 354
Embden 321
Ripley 317
Starks 306
Mercer 272
Moose River 205
Unincorporated territory reported 1,485 residents. This consisted of 469 residents in organized plantations, and 1,016 residents in unorganized territory.
County Total: 40,597
Skowhegan 7,601
Fairfield 5,684
Madison 4,278
Pittsfield 4,274
Anson 2,168
Norridgewock 1,964
Hartland 1,414
Bingham 1,254
Palmyra 1,104
St. Albans 1,041
Canaan 904
Jackman 848
Solon 712
Detroit 663
Harmony 650
Cornville 623
Athens 592
Moscow 586
New Portland 559
Smithfield 527
Embden 418
Starks 323
Mercer 313
Ripley 297
Cambridge 281
Moose River 255
Unincorporated territory reported 1,264 residents. This consisted of 460 residents in organized plantations, and 804 residents in unorganized territory.
County Total: 45,049
Skowhegan 8,098
Fairfield 6,113
Madison 4,367
Pittsfield 4,125
Anson 2,226
Norridgewock 2,552
Hartland 1,669
Palmyra 1,485
St. Albans 1,400
Canaan 1,189
Bingham 1,184
Jackman 1,003
Cornville 838
Solon 827
Athens 802
Harmony 755
Smithfield 748
Detroit 744
New Portland 651
Moscow 570
Embden 536
Mercer 448
Cambridge 445
Starks 440
Ripley 439
Moose River 252
Caratunk 87
Unincorporated territory reported 1,056 residents. This consisted of 425 residents in organized plantations, and 631 residents in unorganized territory.
County Total: 49,767
Skowhegan 8,725
Fairfield 6,718
Madison 4,725
Pittsfield 4,190
Norridgewock 3,105
Anson 2,382
Palmyra 1,867
Hartland 1,806
St. Albans 1,724
Canaan 1,636
Bingham 1,230
Cornville 1,008
Jackman 920
Solon 916
Athens 897
Smithfield 865
Harmony 838
New Portland 789
Detroit 751
Embden 659
Moscow 608
Mercer 593
Starks 508
Cambridge 490
Ripley 445
Moose River 233
Caratunk 98
Unincorporated territory reported 1,041 residents. This consisted of 348 residents in organized plantations, and 693 residents in unorganized territory.
County Total: 50,888
Skowhegan 8,824
Fairfield 6,573
Madison 4,523
Pittsfield 4,214
Norridgewock 3,294
Anson 2,583
Canaan 2,017
Palmyra 1,953
St. Albans 1,836
Hartland 1,816
Cornville 1,208
Bingham 989
Harmony 954
Solon 940
Smithfield 930
Embden 881
Athens 847
Detroit 816
New Portland 785
Jackman 718
Mercer 647
Starks 578
Moscow 577
Cambridge 492
Ripley 452
Moose River 219
Caratunk 108
Unincorporated territory reported 1,114 residents. This consisted of 333 residents in organized plantations, and 781 residents in unorganized territory.
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 (Moose River, Jackman and Caratunk). The remaining seven have all surrendered their organization and reverted to unorganized territory: Carrying Place (apparently sometime in the 1920s; see the notes to the 1930 Census below), Long Pond (1929), Mayfield (1937), Lexington (1939), Bigelow (1940), Flagstaff (1951) and Dead River (1951). 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
Brighton 368
Jackman 352
Moose River 239
Lexington 231
Caratunk 218
West Forks 160
The Forks 157
Flagstaff 115
Pleasant Ridge 114
Dennistown 96
Long Pond 92
Dead River 91
Mayfield 89
Highland 67
Bigelow 57
Carrying Place 22
1910
Jackman 667
Brighton 274
Moose River 251
Lexington 237
Caratunk 235
Long Pond 216
The Forks 169
Flagstaff 149
West Forks 138
Dennistown 99
Dead River 94
Pleasant Ridge 92
Mayfield 67
Highland 68
Bigelow 54
Carrying Place 16
1920
Jackman 902
Moose River 511
Brighton 293
Caratunk 193
Long Pond 177
Lexington 172
The Forks 153
West Forks 120
Dennistown 120
Flagstaff 102
Dead River 95
Pleasant Ridge 90
Highland 55
Bigelow 48
Carrying Place 35
Mayfield 21
1930
Jackman 1,099
Moose River 277
Flagstaff 179
Caratunk 169
Lexington 166
The Forks 144
West Forks 119
Brighton 114
Pleasant Ridge 104
Dead River 82
Highland 61
Bigelow 39
Dennistown 29
Mayfield 0
1940
Jackman 1,069
Moose River 216
Brighton 183
Flagstaff 143
Caratunk 133
The Forks 123
West Forks 117
Pleasant Ridge 92
Dead River 76
Highland 53
Dennistown 48
1950
Jackman 964
Moose River 203
West Forks 108
Brighton 106
Caratunk 96
Pleasant Ridge 80
Highland 56
The Forks 45
Dennistown 24
Dead River 0
Flagstaff 0
1960
Pleasant Ridge 108
West Forks 93
Caratunk 90
Brighton 62
The Forks 53
Highland 46
Dennistown 17
1970
Pleasant Ridge 116
Caratunk 96
West Forks 74
Brighton 58
Dennistown 48
The Forks 45
Highland 23
1980
Pleasant Ridge 99
The Forks 90
Brighton 74
West Forks 72
Highland 60
Dennistown 30
1990
Brighton 94
Pleasant Ridge 91
West Forks 63
Highland 38
Dennistown 32
The Forks 30
2000
Brighton 86
Pleasant Ridge 83
Highland 52
West Forks 47
The Forks 35
Dennistown 30
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 (Note that Brighton, Lexington and Mayfield were all towns at one time but had changed to plantations prior to 1900). 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:
Three municipalities along the Kennebec River to the north of Moscow: Caratunk, The Forks, and West Forks. All three were historically plantations, but Caratunk eventually incorporated as a town. There was once a fourth plantation in the area, Carrying Place, but it apparently surrendered its organization some time in the early 20th century.
Three municipalities along the Moose River, due west of Moosehead Lake near the Canada–US border: Jackman, Moose River, and Dennistown. All three were historically plantations. There was once a fourth plantation in the area, Long Pond, but it surrendered its organization in 1929. The other three still exist as municipalities today. Jackman and Moose River incorporated as towns in the late 1950s; they are by far the northernmost incorporated towns in Maine anywhere east of Penobscot County.
Though none exist any longer, there were once three plantations along the Dead River to the northwest of Highland Plantation. Much of this area was flooded due to the construction of a dam in the 1950s, by which time all three had surrendered their organization.
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 (Concord), and three which had historically been plantations (Lexington, Mayfield and Bigelow). In 1951, two additional plantations in the Dead River valley (Flagstaff and Dead River) 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 2,600 square miles (6,700 km2), 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 (sometimes called Rockwood Township, or just “Rockwood”). 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:
Seboomook Lake Unorganized Territory: the far northern part of the county. Includes the area north of Dennistown, Moose River and a line running east from Moose River to Moosehead Lake (the line is irregular; it mostly follows roads and does not generally run along township boundaries). None of this area has ever been organized.
Northeast Somerset Unorganized Territory: the area south of the line described above; east of Moose River, Jackman, a line following US 201 between Jackman and West Forks, West Forks, The Forks, Caratunk and Moscow; and north of Brighton Plantation. This includes the former town of Mayfield and the former Long Pond Plantation. (Note that the boundary between Northeast Somerset and Seboomook Lake and the portion of the boundary between Northeast Somerset and Northwest Somerset that follows US 201 generally run along roads, not township boundaries.)
Northwest Somerset Unorganized Territory: the area west of Dennistown, Jackman, a line following US 201 between Jackman and West Forks, West Forks, The Forks and Caratunk. This territory stretches from the Canada–US border (west of Dennistown, in the northwest corner of the county) to Highland and Pleasant Ridge plantations, including the three former Dead River valley plantations that surrendered their organization in the 1940s and 1950s. (Note that the portion of the boundary between Northeast Somerset and Northwest Somerset that follows US 201 generally runs along roads, not township boundaries.)
Central Somerset Unorganized Territory: the former towns of Lexington and Concord.
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 (Lexington and Concord townships). North Somerset was all other unorganized territory in the county (the entire area north of Highland, Pleasant Ridge, Caratunk, The Forks, West Forks and Brighton, except for Dennistown, Jackman and Moose River). 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
Rockwood Strip (No.1 R1 NBKP) 87
Holeb Twp. (T6R1 BKP) 30
Sapling Twp. (T1R7 BKP WKR) 21
Moxie Gore (T1R5 BKP EKR) 17
Taunton & Raynham Academy Grant (T1R1 NBKP) 15
Parlin Pond Twp. (T3 R7 BKP WKR) 12
Sandy Bay Twp. (T5R3 NBKP) 9
Misery Twp. (T2R7 BKP WKR) 8
Misery Gore 8
Sand Bar Tract 8
Tomhegan Twp. (T1R2 NBKP) 7
Big W & Little W. Twps. 6
Attean Pond Twp. (T5R1 NBKP) 5
Plymouth Twp. (T1R4 NBKP) 4
T3R4 BKP WKR 2
1910
All unincorporated territory 3,362
Organized plantations 2,826
Unorganized territory 536
Rockwood Strip (No.1 R1 NBKP) 184
Holeb Twp. (T6R1 BKP) 49
Misery Gore 46
Sandwich Academy Grant (T2R1 NBKP) 44
Taunton & Raynham Academy Grant (T1R1 NBKP) 28
Indian Stream Twp. (T1R6 BKP EKR) 27
Moxie Gore (T1R5 BKP EKR) 25
Pittston Academy Grant (T2R4 NBKP) 21
Attean Pond Twp. (T5R1 NBKP) 15
Bald Mountain Twp., NBKP (T4R3 NBKP) 15
Parlin Pond Twp. (T3 R7 BKP WKR) 15
Big W & Little W. Twps. 12
Sand Bar Tract 11
Sandy Bay Twp. (T5R3 NBKP) 10
Pierce Ponds Twp. (T2R4 BKP WKR) 9
East Moxie Twp. (T2R4 BKP EKR) 8
Sapling Twp. (T1R7 BKP WKR) 8
Hobbstown Twp. (T4R6 BKP WKR) 4
Misery Twp. (T2R7 BKP WKR) 4
Comstock Twp. (T4R18) 1
1920
All unincorporated territory 3,827
Organized plantations 3,087
Unorganized territory 740
Rockwood Strip (No.1 R1 NBKP) 327
Moxie Gore (T1R5 BKP EKR) 70
Holeb Twp. (T6R1 BKP) 63
Bald Mountain Twp., BKP EKR (T2R3 BKP EKR) 52
Sandy Bay Twp. (T5R3 NBKP) 33
Misery Gore 32
Bald Mountain Twp., NBKP (T4R3 NBKP) 30
Seboomook Twp. (No. 1 R4 NBKP) 24
Taunton & Raynham Academy Grant (T1R1 NBKP) 21
Attean Pond Twp. (T5R1 NBKP) 18
Pittston Academy Grant (T2R4 NBKP) 17
Squaretown Twp. (T2R5 BKP EKR) 15
Sand Bar Tract 11
Sandwich Academy Grant (T2R1 NBKP) 7
Big W & Little W. Twps. 4
Tomhegan Twp. (T1R2 NBKP) 4
T4R5 NBKP 4
East Moxie Twp. (T2R4 BKP EKR) 3
Parlin Pond Twp. (T3 R7 BKP WKR) 3
Forsyth Twp. (T6R2 NBKP) 1
Soldiertown Twp. (T2R3 NBKP) 1
1930
All unincorporated territory 3,291
Organized plantations 2,582
Unorganized territory 709
Rockwood Strip (No.1 R1 NBKP) 316
Long Pond Twp. (T3R1 NBKP) 142
Holeb Twp. (T6R1 BKP) 101
Taunton & Raynham Academy Grant (T1R1 NBKP) 56
Sand Bar Tract 17
Attean Pond Twp. (T5R1 NBKP) 15
Moxie Gore (T1R5 BKP EKR) 11
Sandwich Academy Grant (T2R1 NBKP) 10
Parlin Pond Twp. (T3 R7 BKP WKR) 9
East Moxie Twp. (T2R4 BKP EKR) 8
Big W & Little W. Twps. 6
Bald Mountain Twp., BKP EKR (T2R3 BKP EKR) 5
Pittston Academy Grant (T2R4 NBKP) 5
Tomhegan Twp. (T1R2 NBKP) 3
Sandy Bay Twp. (T5R3 NBKP) 2
Sapling Twp. (T1R7 BKP WKR) 2
Dole Brook Twp. (T3R5 NBKP) 1
1940
All unincorporated territory 3,204
Organized plantations 2,253
Unorganized territory 951
Rockwood Strip (No.1 R1 NBKP) 277
Concord Twp. 150
Lexington Twp. 149
Long Pond Twp. (T3R1 NBKP) 122
Holeb Twp. (T6R1 BKP) 74
Pittston Academy Grant (T2R4 NBKP) 40
Misery Gore 23
Bigelow Twp. 20
Seboomook Twp. (No. 1 R4 NBKP) 16
Sandwich Academy Grant (T2R1 NBKP) 9
Attean Pond Twp. (T5R1 NBKP) 8
Taunton & Raynham Academy Grant (T1R1 NBKP) 8
Tomhegan Twp. (T1R2 NBKP) 8
Chase Stream Twp. (T1R6 BKP WKR) 7
Parlin Pond Twp. (T3 R7 BKP WKR) 7
Sapling Twp. (T1R7 BKP WKR) 5
Mayfield Twp. 4
T3R4 BKP WKR 4
East Moxie Twp. (T2R4 BKP EKR) 3
Carrying Place Town Twp. (T2R3 BKP WKR) 3
Hobbstown Twp. (T4R6 BKP WKR) 3
Bald Mountain Twp., NBKP (T4R3 NBKP) 2
Johnson Mountain Twp. (T2R6 BKP WKR) 2
Dole Brook Twp. (T3R5 NBKP) 1
Elm Stream Twp. (T4R16 WELS) 1
Prentiss Twp. (T4R4 NBKP) 1
Russell Pond Twp. (T5R16 WELS) 1
Upper Enchanted Twp. (T3R6 BKP WKR) 1
T5R17 WELS 1
T5R20 WELS 1
1950
All unincorporated territory 2,981
Organized plantations 1,682
Unorganized territory 1,299
Rockwood Strip (No.1 R1 NBKP) 229
Lexington Twp. 150
Concord Twp. 115
T6R19 WELS (Big 6 Twp.) 114
Long Pond Twp. (T3R1 NBKP) 89
T7R18 WELS 73
T7R19 WELS 71
T5R20 WELS 65
Holeb Twp. (T6R1 BKP) 52
Pittston Academy Grant (T2R4 NBKP) 40
T8R18 WELS 38
T6R18 WELS 35
Taunton & Raynham Academy Grant (T1R1 NBKP) 32
T8R19 WELS 21
Moxie Gore (T1R5 BKP EKR) 18
Seboomook Twp. (No. 1 R4 NBKP) 18
T5R19 WELS 16
T5R18 WELS 15
Tomhegan Twp. (T1R2 NBKP) 13
Pierce Ponds Twp. (T2R4 BKP WKR) 11
Sandwich Academy Grant (T2R1 NBKP) 8
T3R4 BKP WKR 7
T6R17 WELS 7
Big W Twp. 7
Carrying Place Town Twp. (T2R3 BKP WKR) 6
Misery Gore 6
Sapling Twp. (T1R7 BKP WKR) 6
Parlin Pond Twp. (T3 R7 BKP WKR) 6
Attean Pond Twp. (T5R1 NBKP) 5
West Middlesex Canal Grant (T1R3 NBKP) 4
Upper Enchanted Twp. (T3R6 BKP WKR) 4
Hammond Twp. (T3 R4 NBKP) 3
Chase Stream Twp. (T1R6 BKP WKR) 2
Dole Brook Twp. (T3R5 NBKP) 2
King & Bartlett Twp. (T4R5 BKP WKR) 2
Sandy Bay Twp. (T5R3 NBKP) 2
Russell Pond Twp. (T5R16 WELS) 2
Sand Bar Tract 2
Bald Mountain Twp., BKP EKR (T2R3 BKP EKR) 1
East Moxie Twp. (T2R4 BKP EKR) 1
Hobbstown Twp. (T4R6 BKP WKR) 1
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.
North Somerset Unorganized Territory 588
Central Somerset Unorganized Territory 216
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.
Northeast Somerset Unorganized Territory 301
Central Somerset Unorganized Territory 278
Seboomook Lake Unorganized Territory 37
Northwest Somerset Unorganized Territory 15
1990
All unincorporated territory 1,041
Organized plantations 348
Unorganized territory 693
Northeast Somerset Unorganized Territory 377
Central Somerset Unorganized Territory 289
Seboomook Lake Unorganized Territory 19
Northwest Somerset Unorganized Territory 8
2000
All unincorporated territory 1,114
Organized plantations 333
Unorganized territory 781
Northeast Somerset Unorganized Territory 354
Central Somerset Unorganized Territory 336
Northwest Somerset Unorganized Territory 46
Seboomook Lake Unorganized Territory 45
Note: the unorganized townships in Somerset County are on four different grids:
WELS (west of the Easterly Line of the State): as its name suggests, the baseline for this grid is the boundary between Maine and New Brunswick in Aroostook County. In places, it has up to 20 numbered rows, arranged from north to south. The lower rows of the grid are cut off by Moosehead Lake, however, and the upper rows exist only in Aroostook County, so that only rows 4 through 10 enter the modern borders of Somerset County. The townships on this grid in Somerset County are in ranges 16 through 20, although the shape of the Canada–US border and the arrangement of the NBKP grid (see below) are such that not every possible range/row combination exists. The area of Somerset County covered by the WELS system is very remote and very sparsely populated. Most of the townships are identified only by their row and range numbers and have never developed informal township names.
NBKP (North of Bingham’s Kennebec Purchase): covers the area to the immediate south of the WELS grid, to the west of Moosehead Lake. Range 1 is along the lake’s western shore, with range numbering increasing as one goes west, extending as far as range 6. Jackman is in row 1, with row numbers increasing as one goes north, extending as far as row 5. The shape of the Canada–US border and the boundary with the WELS grid are such that not every possible range/row combination exists. Most of this grid is drawn up at an angle that is skewed well off from due north-south/east-west. There are a few areas along the northwest corner of Moosehead Lake that are part of this grid but do not have range numbers, because they lie east of the first range (Seboomook Twp. is one example). This grid does not extend outside of the modern borders of Somerset County.
BKP WKR (Bingham’s Kennebec Purchase, West of the Kennebec River): covers that portion of the area south of the NBKP grid which lies west of the Kennebec River. The rows of townships on this grid are numbered east to west, with the baseline at the Kennebec River. Lexington Twp. and Concord Twp. are in range 1 of the grid, with range numbers increasing as one goes north, as far as range 7. Because the Kennebec River does run at all due north-south in this area, row numbering is somewhat irregular (e.g., T5R7 is directly north of T4R6, which is directly north of T3R5). Parts of ranges 1, 2 and 3 are within the modern borders of Somerset County. Part of the grid is also within the modern borders of Franklin County.
BKP WKR (Bingham’s Kennebec Purchase, East of the Kennebec River): covers that portion of the area south of the NBKP grid which lies east of the Kennebec River. The rows of townships on this grid are numbered west to east, with the baseline at the Kennebec River. Bingham and Brighton Plantation are in range 1 of the grid, with range numbers increasing as one goes north, as far as range 6. This grid also originally extended eastward into the modern borders of Piscataquis County, to the south of Moosehead Lake.