Compare towns
Hancock vs Appleton vs Deer Isle
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hancock has the highest household income ($72k).
Appleton has the most affordable homes ($236k median).
Deer Isle has the most people working from home (22%).
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 | Hancock | Appleton | Deer Isle |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,518Highest |
1,360Lowest |
2,470 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2% ME: +2.6% |
+11.1%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 56.3±6.4Highest 26% above ME |
49.2±7.4Lowest 10% above ME |
52.6±5.6 17% above ME |
| Hancock and Deer Isle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.9%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.7%±3.3 ME: 18.1% |
| Appleton and Deer Isle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 30.2%±7Highest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
24.8%±3.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Hancock and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.9% ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
35.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Appleton and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $72,285±$5kHighest 3% below ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$62,284±$15k 17% below ME |
| Hancock and Deer Isle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $276,800±$51k 7% below ME |
$235,600±$33kLowest 21% below ME |
$308,300±$42kHighest 4% above ME |
| Deer Isle and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,171±$65 about the ME average |
$1,104±$82Lowest 3% below ME |
$1,909±$927Highest 68% above ME |
| Deer Isle and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,869Lowest 38% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$1,890 38% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42%±15.5 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
25.4%±17.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
19.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
85.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987 10 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 18% above ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
20 minLowest 17% below ME |
| Work from home | 5.1%±4.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
22%±9.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Deer Isle and Appleton 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 | #117 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | Hancock Public Schools | Appleton Public Schools | Deer Isle-Stonington CSD |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Deer Isle-Stonington High Sch |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 8.0 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.