Rockport, Maine
Rockport, Maine Location within the state of Maine
Coordinates: 44°10′51″N 69°5′53″W / 44.18083, -69.09806
Country	United States
State	Maine
County	Knox
Area
- Total	34.1 sq mi (88.4 km²)
- Land	21.7 sq mi (56.2 km²)
- Water	12.4 sq mi (32.2 km²)
Elevation	223 ft (68 m)
Population (2000)
- Total	3,209
- Density	147.8/sq mi (57.1/km²)
Time zone	Eastern (EST) (UTC-5)
- Summer (DST)	EDT (UTC-4)
ZIP code	04856
Area code(s)	207
FIPS code	23-63660
GNIS feature ID	0582699

Rockport Harbor in the summer. The building way to the left of the photograph is Rockport Marine, Inc.

Rockport is a town in Knox County, Maine, United States. The population was 3,209 at the 2000 census. The harbor is on Goose River. The town separated from Camden, Maine in 1891 because of a dispute over the cost of constructing a bridge over the river. In the 19^th century the town had a significant lime production industry. ^[1]

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 34.1 square miles (88.4 km²), of which, 21.7 square miles (56.2 km²) is land and 12.4 square miles (32.2 km²) (36.41%) is water.

Demographics

In the 2000 census, there were 3,209 people, 1,373 households and 918 families in the town. The population density was 147.8 per square mile (57.1/km²). There were 1,677 housing units at an average density of 77.2/sq mi (29.8/km²). The racial makeup was 98.69% White, 0.16% African American, 0.06% Native American, 0.44% Asian, 0.19% from other races, and 0.47% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.75% of the population.

There were 1,373 households, of which 29.6% had children under 18 living with them, 56.2% were married couples living together, 8.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.1% were non-families. 27.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.33 and the average family size was 2.83.

In the town the population was spread out with 23.5% under 18, 5.0% from 18 to 24, 25.3% from 25 to 44, 28.9% from 45 to 64, and 17.3% who were 65 or older. The median age was 43. For every 100 females there were 91.7 males. For every 100 females 18 and over, there were 89.0 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $47,155, and the median for a family $56,068. Males had a median of $35,865 versus $25,542 for females. The per capita income for the town was $25,498. About 5.4% of families and 7.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.2% of those under 18 and 7.3% of those 65 or over.

Artists' Community

McCobb Spite House at Deadman's Point in July 1960.

Rockport has a longstanding reputation as an artists' community, with notable examples of artists and institutions making a significant part of the economic and social life of the town. Bay Chamber Concerts was established in 1961 out of the remains of the summer music instruction of the Curtis Institute. Mary Louise Curtis Bok, central to founding both Bay Chamber Concerts and the Curtis Institute, was one of the largest landowners in Rockport, at one time owning most of the eastern shore of the harbor. With Rockport resident and violinist Lea Luboshutz, the park adjacent to the Rockport Opera House is named "Mary Lea Park" in their honor.

Also in Rockport are the Center for Maine Contemporary Art, the Maine Media Workshops, Élan Fine Arts, and the McCobb Spite House.

References

External links

• [1]
• Town of Rockport (official site)
• Chamber of Commerce

Coordinates: 44°11′04″N, 69°04′34″W