Compare towns
Hancock vs Thomaston vs Union
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 expensive homes ($277k median).
Thomaston has the shortest commute (14 min average).
Union has the most people working from home (15.9%).
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 | Thomaston | Union |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,518Lowest |
2,769Highest |
2,663 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3% ME: +2.6% |
-1.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 56.3±6.4 26% above ME |
58.1±6.6Highest 30% above ME |
41.6±5.3Lowest 7% below ME |
| Thomaston and Hancock 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% |
19.2%±5.7 ME: 18.1% |
24.9%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Union and Thomaston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 30.2%±7 ME: 22.4% |
35.5%±8.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Thomaston and Hancock 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% |
30.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
1.6%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Union 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 |
$56,435±$13kLowest 24% below ME |
$80,724±$9kHighest 8% above ME |
| Union 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 |
$271,700±$10k 8% below ME |
$267,600±$42kLowest 10% 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 |
$1,262±$343Highest 11% above ME |
$1,179±$452 4% above ME |
| Thomaston and Union 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 |
$4,487Highest 48% above ME |
$3,276 8% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42%±15.5 ME: 48.4% |
60.5%±23.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8Lowest 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% |
6.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.1% ME: 74.3% |
73.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
1951Lowest 26 yrs older than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 18% above ME |
14 minLowest 45% below ME |
29 minHighest 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 5.1%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
4.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
| 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 | RSU 40/MSAD 40 |
| 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.