Compare towns
Hancock vs Mapleton vs Strong
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hancock has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3%).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Strong has the most people working from home (18.5%).
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 | Mapleton | Strong |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,518Highest |
1,884 |
1,249Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-7.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 56.3±6.4Highest 26% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
47.5±8.9 6% above ME |
| Hancock and Strong 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% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
19.5%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Strong 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% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Hancock and Strong 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% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
26.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton 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±$5k 3% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$47,557±$10kLowest 36% below ME |
| Mapleton 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±$51kHighest 7% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$183,900±$29kLowest 38% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,171±$65Highest about the ME average |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$920±$276 19% below ME |
| Hancock and Strong 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 |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$1,950Highest 36% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42%±15.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
20.9%±52.4 ME: 48.4% |
| Hancock and Strong 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% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
13.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.1% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 18% above ME |
28 minLowest 13% above ME |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
| Work from home | 5.1%±4.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Strong and Mapleton 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 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 58/MSAD 58 |
| High school in town | None 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.