1st Advantage MortgageAbout 79% of Hancock County homes are owner-occupied, and the median household income is $72,744. Your income, debts and credit decide what you qualify for. Get offers in writing, compare the total repaid, and never pay a fee up front.
On this page
- Hancock County at a glance
- Income in Hancock County compared with Maine
- How Hancock County residents earn a living
- Hancock County housing compared with Maine
- Counties near Hancock County
- The communities that make up Hancock County
- Debt-to-income at Hancock County's medians
- Hancock County households compared
- What the numbers mean for Hancock County borrowers
- Before you sign
- Licensing and complaints for Hancock County
- More guides for Hancock County
- Frequently asked questions
Hancock County at a glance
The latest five-year Census estimate puts Hancock County's population at 56,460; only 7 of Maine's 16 county-level areas are larger. Land area is 1,587 square miles (2024 Gazetteer), so density runs near 36 per square mile. It sits outside every metropolitan statistical area in the July 2023 OMB delineation. The Census Bureau counts 38 places in the county (31 incorporated, 7 census-designated); the largest is Ellsworth, with about 8,657 residents, or 15% of the county.
Income in Hancock County compared with Maine
The median household income in Hancock County is $72,744; statewide it is $74,733, so Hancock County runs 3% below Maine as a whole. That places it 7th among Maine's 16 county-level areas.
| Yearly household income | Hancock County | Gap to Maine |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 23.3% | +1.1 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 42.3% | +1.3 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 26.4% | -1.0 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 8.0% | -1.4 pts |
The spread is wide: 34% of Hancock County households make $100,000 or more, and 23% make less than $35,000. The poverty rate is 9.9%, 1 point lower than the state's 10.7%. None of these numbers decides a Hancock County application. Lenders weigh your own documented income against your own debts.
How Hancock County residents earn a living
Education and health care employs 25% of working residents, the largest share; professional and administrative services is next with 14%. The sharpest difference from the state is in professional and administrative services, at 14% locally and 10% for Maine. Averaged over the five survey years, 4.6% of the labor force was out of work and looking. 15% of commuters travel 45 minutes or more each way, and 14% work from home. Only 6.2% of homes here go without a vehicle.
| Sector | Hancock County | Compared with Maine |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 24.7% | -2.6 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 14.0% | +3.6 pts |
| Retail trade | 12.8% | +0.2 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 8.9% | +1.1 pts |
| Construction | 8.6% | +0.9 pts |
| Manufacturing | 5.9% | -3.0 pts |
Industry shapes paperwork. Salaried and public jobs are easy to verify, while hourly, tipped, commission or contract earners in Hancock County should have bank statements and tax returns ready.
Hancock County housing compared with Maine
Median gross rent, utilities included, comes to $1,061 in Hancock County versus $1,139 statewide. By the Census definition, 51% of Hancock County renters are cost-burdened. Home values center on $310,400, or 4.3 years of median income. The ownership rate is 79%. Median construction year: 1982.
| Home costs | Hancock County | Maine | U.S. middle county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $1,061/mo | $1,139/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $310,400 | $296,600 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 79% | 74% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 51% | 48% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 29% | 27% | n/a |
| Mobile homes | 7.4% | 8.2% | n/a |
| Vacant units | 37% | 21% | n/a |
Owners with equity have a second option. Weigh a secured line against an unsecured loan by risk as well as cost before you choose (how they compare). When half or more of renters are already stretched, a new payment needs a stress test: what happens if a paycheck is a week late?
Counties near Hancock County
Waldo County is closest, 37 miles from center to center; the sixth, Kennebec County, is 70 miles off. Income ranges from $56,024 in Washington County to $76,875 in Lincoln County; 3 of these neighbors top Hancock County's median.
| Adjacent area | How far | HH income (median) | Rent (median) | Owner share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hancock County | - | $72,744 | $1,061/mo | 79% |
| Waldo County, ME | 37 mi | $72,782 | $1,021/mo | 82% |
| Washington County, ME | 47 mi | $56,024 | $783/mo | 80% |
| Knox County, ME | 49 mi | $74,096 | $1,165/mo | 79% |
| Penobscot County, ME | 60 mi | $66,356 | $1,041/mo | 71% |
| Lincoln County, ME | 69 mi | $76,875 | $1,055/mo | 82% |
| Kennebec County, ME | 70 mi | $69,077 | $992/mo | 74% |
The communities that make up Hancock County
The table lists the 14 largest of 38 Census places in Hancock County, by population. Together all 38 hold about 48,336 people, so roughly 14% of residents live outside any named place. Incomes vary by place: $168,516 at the median in Castine, $33,958 in Southwest Harbor. Median rent ranges from $823 in Stonington to $1,909 in Deer Isle. No Hancock County place has a separate guide yet; this county page serves all 38.
| Town or CDP | Type | People | Median household income | Median gross rent | Miles from center |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ellsworth | city | 8,657 | $77,375 | $1,017 | 6 mi |
| Bucksport | CDP | 3,105 | $62,011 | $855 | 21 mi |
| Hancock | town | 2,518 | $72,285 | $1,171 | 5 mi |
| Deer Isle | town | 2,470 | $62,284 | $1,909 | 31 mi |
| Bar Harbor | CDP | 2,296 | $67,701 | $1,070 | 15 mi |
| Orland | town | 1,915 | $69,348 | $1,149 | 15 mi |
| Surry | town | 1,836 | $74,508 | $969 | 10 mi |
| Lamoine | town | 1,782 | $88,542 | $1,174 | 6 mi |
| Mount Desert | town | 1,671 | $92,813 | $1,341 | 16 mi |
| Dedham | town | 1,656 | $111,442 | $1,422 | 13 mi |
| Franklin | town | 1,628 | $65,455 | $888 | 7 mi |
| Gouldsboro | town | 1,615 | $60,873 | $1,298 | 17 mi |
| Trenton | town | 1,599 | $60,455 | $1,102 | 7 mi |
| Tremont | town | 1,508 | $88,803 | $1,217 | 22 mi |
Debt-to-income at Hancock County's medians
The debt-to-income ratio is the main affordability test lenders use. Applied to Hancock County's medians:
- Monthly gross at the median, Hancock County: $6,062
- Rent at the median, $1,061, takes 18% of that
- With a 43% ceiling, about $1,546 remains for car, card, student and any new loan payments
Car, student loan and card payments come out of that room first. Try your own numbers in the calculator.
Hancock County households compared
Degree holders: 40% of adults over 25. About 10% go without health insurance.
| Indicator | Hancock County | All of Maine | U.S. county median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 49.0 | 44.8 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 40.1% | 36.2% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 4.4% | 5.2% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 9.6% | 6.2% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 6.2% | 6.8% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 13.7% | 15.9% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 9.9% | 10.7% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 4.6% | 3.8% | 4.4% |
| Minutes to work | Hancock County workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 30.8% |
| 15 to 29 min | 32.3% |
| 30 to 44 min | 21.7% |
| 45 to 59 min | 7.5% |
| 60+ min | 7.7% |
What the numbers mean for Hancock County borrowers
The county's numbers point to a few situations that come up often for Hancock County borrowers.
- Fixed incomes. Hancock County's median age is 49.0. Social Security and pensions count as income when documented.
- 51% rent-burdened. A payment on top of high rent needs a cushion; size it with the calculator.
- Paperwork. ID, proof of income and a bank account are the basics (requirements).
Before you sign
Quick steps for Hancock County:
- Size the loan to the bill, not to the most a lender offers.
- Ask each lender for the APR and all fees in writing.
- A Maine license check takes minutes; do it first.
- Never pay a fee up front to get a loan.
Licensing and complaints for Hancock County
The Maine Bureau of Financial Institutions is the place to verify any lender's Maine license. The Maine Bureau of Consumer Credit Protection handles consumer-credit questions as well. A CFPB complaint gets forwarded to the company for a response. Statewide data and rules: Maine guide.
More guides for Hancock County
For statewide rules and data, see the Maine guide.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median household income in Hancock County?
$72,744 a year in the 2020 to 2024 Census survey, versus $74,733 for Maine. It ranks 7th of 16 in the state.
Is Hancock County expensive for renters?
Median rent is $1,061 against $1,139 statewide, and 51% of renter households are cost-burdened.
I own my home in Hancock County. Personal loan or HELOC?
A HELOC uses the house as collateral; a personal loan usually does not. With 79% of homes owner-occupied here, many readers can compare both in writing.
Does this page cover Ellsworth?
Yes, along with the other 37 Census places in Hancock County, such as Bucksport, Hancock, Deer Isle.
Are Hancock County applicants treated differently?
No. Everyone answers the same questions and is screened on the same objective points; lending partners set their own criteria under fair-lending laws.