Compare towns
Ellsworth vs Hancock vs Phippsburg
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ellsworth has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.5%).
Hancock has the oldest population (median age 56.3).
Phippsburg has the most people working from home (11.7%).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Ellsworth | Hancock | Phippsburg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,657Highest |
2,518 |
2,238Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+3% ME: +2.6% |
-2.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43±2.4Lowest 4% below ME |
56.3±6.4Highest 26% above ME |
54.3±6.3 21% above ME |
| Hancock and Phippsburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.4%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.9%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
11.5%±3.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Ellsworth and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.1%±3.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
30.2%±7 ME: 22.4% |
34.4%±3.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Phippsburg and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
37.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
2.3%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Ellsworth and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $77,375±$18k 4% above ME |
$72,285±$5kLowest 3% below ME |
$107,833±$19kHighest 44% above ME |
| Phippsburg and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $242,300±$22kLowest 18% below ME |
$276,800±$51k 7% below ME |
$335,800±$47kHighest 13% above ME |
| Phippsburg and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,017±$195Lowest 11% below ME |
$1,171±$65Highest about the ME average |
$1,022±$346 10% below ME |
| Hancock and Phippsburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,262Highest 7% above ME |
$1,869Lowest 38% below ME |
$2,034 33% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.1%±15.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
42%±15.5 ME: 48.4% |
35.5%±98.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Ellsworth and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.2% ME: 10.7% |
7.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
81.1% ME: 74.3% |
81.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min about the ME average |
29 minHighest 18% above ME |
21 minLowest 13% below ME |
| Work from home | 7.1%±2.8 ME: 15.9% |
5.1%±4.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.7%±4.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Phippsburg and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #63 of 133 in ME | #117 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Ellsworth Public Schools | Hancock Public Schools | RSU 01 - LKRSU |
| High school in town | Ellsworth High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
ME average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.