Compare towns
Hancock vs Franklin vs Bar Harbor
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 oldest population (median age 56.3).
Franklin has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.7%).
Bar Harbor has the most expensive homes ($538k median).
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 | Franklin | Bar Harbor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,518 |
1,628Lowest |
5,244Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3% ME: +2.6% |
+5.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-2.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 56.3±6.4Highest 26% above ME |
46±9.3Lowest about the ME average |
49.2±5.9 10% above ME |
| Hancock and Bar Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.9%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
16.3%±3.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
11.9%±3.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Franklin and Hancock 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% |
25.6%±3.5 ME: 22.4% |
25.1%±5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Hancock and Franklin 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% |
28.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
68.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
10.8%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $72,285±$5k 3% below ME |
$65,455±$16kLowest 12% below ME |
$77,180±$26kHighest 3% above ME |
| Bar Harbor and Hancock 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 |
$245,800±$59kLowest 17% below ME |
$538,400±$94kHighest 82% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,171±$65Highest about the ME average |
$888±$306Lowest 22% below ME |
$1,106±$351 about the ME average |
| Hancock and Bar Harbor 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 |
$2,231 27% below ME |
$4,279Highest 41% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42%±15.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
36.7%±27.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
41.6%±17.6 ME: 48.4% |
| Hancock and Bar Harbor 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% |
15.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
10.1% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
76.8% ME: 74.3% |
74.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
1984Lowest 7 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 18% above ME |
29 minHighest 18% above ME |
20 minLowest 20% below ME |
| Work from home | 5.1%±4.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
12.2%±5.5 ME: 15.9% |
21.9%±8.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Bar Harbor and Franklin 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 | — | #2 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Hancock Public Schools | — | Bar Harbor Public Schools · Mt Desert CSD |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Mt Desert Island High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 8.2 |
| 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.