Compare towns
Hancock vs Sidney 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 most affordable homes ($277k median).
Sidney has the most kids (23.1% under 18).
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 | Sidney | Deer Isle |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,518 |
4,790Highest |
2,470Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.4% ME: +2.6% |
+11.1%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 56.3±6.4Highest 26% above ME |
43±5.5Lowest 4% below 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% |
23.1%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.7%±3.3 ME: 18.1% |
| Sidney 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% |
18.4%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
24.8%±3.3 ME: 22.4% |
| Hancock and Deer Isle 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% |
33.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
35.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±1.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±1.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $72,285±$5k 3% below ME |
$83,488±$10kHighest 12% above ME |
$62,284±$15kLowest 17% below ME |
| Sidney 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±$51kLowest 7% below ME |
$336,200±$34kHighest 13% above ME |
$308,300±$42k 4% above ME |
| Sidney and Deer Isle 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 |
$1,340±$304 18% above ME |
$1,909±$927Highest 68% above ME |
| Deer Isle and Sidney 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 |
$2,474Highest 19% below ME |
$1,890 38% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42%±15.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.4%±17.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
25.4%±17.9 ME: 48.4% |
| Hancock and Deer Isle 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% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
19.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
85.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987 10 yrs newer than ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 18% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
20 minLowest 17% below ME |
| Work from home | 5.1%±4.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
14.3%±5.9 ME: 15.9% |
22%±9.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Deer Isle and Sidney 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 | #15 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Hancock Public Schools | RSU 18 | 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.