Compare towns
Hancock vs Crystal vs Thomaston
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).
Crystal has the most affordable homes ($129k median).
Thomaston has the shortest commute (14 min average).
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 | Crystal | Thomaston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,518 |
247Lowest |
2,769Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— | -1.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 56.3±6.4Lowest 26% above ME |
63.2±8.4Highest 41% above ME |
58.1±6.6 30% above ME |
| Crystal and Thomaston 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% |
16.2%±11.8 ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Thomaston and Crystal are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 30.2%±7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
49%±5.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
35.5%±8.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Crystal and Thomaston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
22.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
30.9% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±1.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
0%±6.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
1.6%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
| Hancock and Thomaston 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 |
$48,125±$13kLowest 36% below ME |
$56,435±$13k 24% below ME |
| Hancock and Thomaston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $276,800±$51kHighest 7% below ME |
$129,200±$60kLowest 56% below ME |
$271,700±$10k 8% below ME |
| Hancock and Thomaston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,171±$65Lowest about the ME average |
$1,563±$922Highest 37% above ME |
$1,262±$343 11% above ME |
| Crystal and Thomaston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,869 38% below ME |
$943Lowest 69% below ME |
$4,487Highest 48% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42%±15.5 ME: 48.4% |
14.3%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
60.5%±23.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Thomaston and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.2% ME: 10.7% |
14.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.1% ME: 74.3% |
92.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
73.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
1974 3 yrs older than ME |
1951Lowest 26 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 18% above ME |
27 min 10% above ME |
14 minLowest 45% below ME |
| Work from home | 5.1%±4.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
0%±15.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
4.4%±3.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Hancock and Thomaston 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 | — | #99 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Hancock Public Schools | — | RSU 13 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| 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.