Compare towns
Hancock vs Wayne 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+3%).
Wayne has the most people working from home (26.2%).
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 | Wayne | Thomaston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,518 |
1,101Lowest |
2,769Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-1.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 56.3±6.4 26% above ME |
55.6±5.3Lowest 24% above ME |
58.1±6.6Highest 30% above 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%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
13.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Thomaston and Hancock 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% |
29.2%±3.8Lowest ME: 22.4% |
35.5%±8.6Highest 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% ME: 36.2% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
30.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.6%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $72,285±$5k 3% below ME |
$93,194±$26kHighest 25% above ME |
$56,435±$13kLowest 24% below ME |
| Wayne 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 |
$362,800±$29kHighest 22% above ME |
$271,700±$10kLowest 8% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,171±$65 about the ME average |
$983±$554Lowest 14% below ME |
$1,262±$343Highest 11% above ME |
| Thomaston and Hancock 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 |
$3,289 8% above ME |
$4,487Highest 48% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42%±15.5 ME: 48.4% |
25%±52.1Lowest 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%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.9% ME: 10.7% |
6.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.1% ME: 74.3% |
89.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
73.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1951Lowest 26 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 18% above ME |
30 minHighest 24% above ME |
14 minLowest 45% below ME |
| Work from home | 5.1%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
26.2%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
4.4%±3.9Lowest 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 38 | RSU 13 |
| 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.