Hancock County is a

county A county () is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesL. Brookes (ed.) '' Chambers Dictionary''. Edinburgh: Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, 2005. in some nations. The term is derived from the Old French denoti ...

located in the

U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its so ...

Maine Maine ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the United States, and the northeasternmost state in the Contiguous United States. It borders New Hampshire to the west, the Gulf of Maine to the southeast, and the Provinces and ...

. As of the 2020 census, the population was 55,478. Its

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or parish (administrative division), civil parish. The term is in use in five countries: Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, and the United States. An equiva ...

is Ellsworth. The county was incorporated on June 25, 1789, and named for

John Hancock John Hancock ( – October 8, 1793) was an American Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father, merchant, statesman, and prominent Patriot (American Revolution), Patriot of the American Revolution. He was the longest-serving Presi ...

, the first governor of the Commonwealth of

Massachusetts Massachusetts ( ; ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Maine to its east, Connecticut and Rhode ...

Geography

According to the

U.S. Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The U.S. Census Bureau is part of the U ...

, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (32%) is water. The county high point is Cadillac Mountain, 1527 feet, the highest summit on the U.S. Atlantic seaboard. The county is home to

Acadia National Park Acadia National Park is a List of national parks of the United States, national park of the United States located along the mid-section of the Maine coast, southwest of Bar Harbor, Maine, Bar Harbor. The park includes about half of Mount Desert ...

, the only national park in New England, which is centered on

Mount Desert Island Mount Desert Island (MDI; ) in Hancock County, Maine, is the largest island off the coast of Maine. With an area of it is the List of islands of the United States by area, 52nd-largest island in the United States, the sixth-largest island in th ...

, Maine's largest island and surrounded by several large bays. The county also lies on the eastern side of both

Penobscot Bay Penobscot Bay () is an inlet of the Gulf of Maine and Atlantic Ocean in south central Maine, a stretch known as Midcoast Maine, in a broader Atlantic region known as Down East. The bay originates from the mouth of Maine's Penobscot River, ...

and the mouth of the

Penobscot River The Penobscot River (Abenaki: ''Pαnawάhpskewtəkʷ'') is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map, accessed June 22, 2011 river in the U.S. state of Maine. Including the river's W ...

, which can be crossed via the Penobscot Narrows Bridge. The county extends inland from the coast, making it one of Maine's eight coastal counties.

Adjacent counties

* Penobscot County — north * Washington County — northeast * Waldo County — west * Knox County — southwest

Major highways

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Demographics

2000 census

As of the

census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...

of 2000, there were 51,791 people, 21,864 households, and 14,233 families living in the county. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geog ...

was . There were 33,945 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 97.61%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

, 0.25% Black or African American, 0.37% Native American, 0.38% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.20% from other races, and 1.15% from two or more races. 0.65% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. The largest ancestry groups in Hancock County, Maine according to the 2000 census are: * 24.6% English * 16.6% American * 11.9% Irish * 6.6% French * 6.1%

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany, the country of the Germans and German things **Germania (Roman era) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizenship in Germany, see also Ge ...

96.8% spoke English, 1.5% French and 1.0%

Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many countries in the Americas **Spanish cuisine **Spanish history **Spanish culture ...

as their first language. There were 21,864 households, out of which 28.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.50% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...

living together, 8.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.90% were non-families. 27.90% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.60% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.31 and the average family size was 2.81. In the county, the population was spread out, with 22.30% under the age of 18, 7.40% from 18 to 24, 27.50% from 25 to 44, 26.80% from 45 to 64, and 16.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 95.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.10 males. The median income for a household in the county was $35,811, and the median income for a family was $43,216. Males had a median income of $30,461 versus $22,647 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

for the county was $19,809. About 7.00% of families and 10.20% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

, including 11.90% of those under age 18 and 9.50% of those age 65 or over. The 1990 Census counted 46,948, though the 1998 population estimate is 49,932.1 The gender division was 22,996 males, 23,952 females in 1989. Ninety-nine percent of the population was white (46,446), 121 American Indians, 249 Asians, 79 Blacks and 52 "other" Sixty-six percent of the population of Hancock County are Mainers by birth. Three percent were born outside the US. Of the 31,475 persons over 25 years old, 83% (26,214) had a high school degree or higher. Twenty-one percent had a bachelor's degree or higher.

2010 census

As of the 2010 United States census, there were 54,418 people, 24,221 households, and 14,834 families living in the county. The population density was . There were 40,184 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 96.9% white, 0.8% Asian, 0.4% American Indian, 0.4% black or African American, 0.3% from other races, and 1.2% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1.1% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 24.0% were English, 19.8% were American, 15.2% were Irish, 9.0% were

, and 7.2% were

Scottish Scottish usually refers to something of, from, or related to Scotland, including: *Scottish Gaelic, a Celtic Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family native to Scotland *Scottish English *Scottish national identity, the Scottish ide ...

. Of the 24,221 households, 24.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.9% were married couples living together, 8.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 38.8% were non-families, and 30.3% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.20 and the average family size was 2.71. The median age was 46.3 years. The median income for a household in the county was $47,533 and the median income for a family was $60,092. Males had a median income of $41,046 versus $32,444 for females. The per capita income for the county was $26,876. About 6.8% of families and 11.5% of the population were below the

, including 17.2% of those under age 18 and 7.3% of those age 65 or over.

Economy

Of employed persons 16 years and over in 1990, 1,108 indicated involvement in the "agriculture, forestry and fisheries" industry, though 1,206 indicated "farming, forestry and fishing occupations." The U.S. Census data are not dependable for determining the numbers of individuals involved in the fishing industry. Only firms with 10 or more employees must report their numbers, as well as firms paying workmen's compensation insurance. Because the majority of fishermen in Maine are considered self-employed, the statistics underreport fishing employment. Cranberry Isles, Deer Isle, Frenchboro, Gouldsboro, Southwest Harbor, Stonington, Swans Island and Tremont (Bass Harbor) were identified by a key respondent as fisheries dependent. Bar Harbor, Brooklin, Brooksville, Hancock, Lamoine, Mount Desert, Penobscot, Sedgwick, Sorrento and Sullivan were also noted as having either significant fishing activity or a significant number of people who fish. Winter Harbor's fishing activities were once dwarfed by the economic activity associated with a naval base, but now that the naval base has closed, fishing activity will most likely be the dominant economic activity in the community.

Salmon farming The aquaculture of salmonids is the farming and harvesting of salmonid fish under controlled conditions for both commercial and recreational purposes. Salmonids (particularly salmon and rainbow trout), along with carp and tilapia, are the three ...

is also popular in the area and Maine Salmon is an important export. Hancock County has the longest coastline of any Maine county. Commercial fishing and tourism are the county's most important industries. Hancock County is home to

(the only national park in Maine or the New England region, excluding the national sea shore on Cape Cod) and Cadillac Mountain (the highest point in Maine's coastal region).

Jackson Laboratory The Jackson Laboratory (often abbreviated as JAX) is an independent, non-profit biomedical research institution which was founded by Clarence Cook Little in 1929. It employs over 3,000 employees in Bar Harbor, Maine; Sacramento, California; F ...

, noted for cancer research, is located in Bar Harbor. Two institutions of

higher education Tertiary education (higher education, or post-secondary education) is the educational level following the completion of secondary education. The World Bank defines tertiary education as including universities, colleges, and vocational schools ...

are located in Hancock County:

Maine Maritime Academy Maine Maritime Academy (Maine Maritime or MMA) is a public college focused on maritime training and located in Castine, Maine. The academy was established by the 90th Maine Legislature on March 21, 1941. Unlike federal service academies, a cong ...

at Castine and the

College of the Atlantic College of the Atlantic (COA) is a private liberal arts college in Bar Harbor on Mount Desert Island, Maine. Founded in 1969, it awards bachelors and masters ( M.Phil.) degrees solely in the field of human ecology, an interdisciplinary approa ...

at Bar Harbor.

Air pollution

The

American Lung Association The American Lung Association is a voluntary health organization whose mission is to save lives by improving lung health and preventing lung disease through education, advocacy and research. History 1904–1918: Founding The organization was ...

issues annual State of the Air reports. Their current score card gives Hancock county an "F" for ozone pollution, the only Maine county to receive an F score.

Government and politics

The county's Commissioners are William F. Clark, John Wombacher and Paul Paradis. From 1856 to 1988, Hancock County was a Republican stronghold, with Democrats only carrying the county in three of the 34 presidential elections. Since then, Democrats carried the county every time, although George W. Bush came within one percent of taking the county in 2000.

Voter registration

Communities

City

* Ellsworth (county seat)

Towns

* Amherst *

Aurora An aurora ( aurorae or auroras), also commonly known as the northern lights (aurora borealis) or southern lights (aurora australis), is a natural light display in Earth's sky, predominantly observed in high-latitude regions (around the Arc ...

* Bar Harbor * Blue Hill * Brooklin * Brooksville * Bucksport * Castine * Cranberry Isles * Dedham * Deer Isle * Eastbrook * Franklin * Frenchboro * Gouldsboro * Great Pond * Hancock * Lamoine * Mariaville * Mount Desert * Orland * Osborn * Otis *

Penobscot The Penobscot (Abenaki: ''Pαnawάhpskewi'') are an Indigenous people in North America from the Northeastern Woodlands region. They are organized as a federally recognized tribe in Maine and as a First Nations band government in the Atlantic p ...

* Sedgwick *

Sorrento Sorrento ( , ; ; ) is a City status in Italy, city and overlooking the Gulf of Naples, Bay of Naples in Southern Italy. A popular tourist destination, Sorrento is located on the Sorrentine Peninsula at the southern terminus of a main branch o ...

* Southwest Harbor * Stonington * Sullivan * Surry * Swan's Island * Tremont * Trenton * Verona Island * Waltham * Winter Harbor

Unorganized territories

* Central Hancock * East Hancock * Marshall Island * Northwest Hancock

Census-designated places

* Bar Harbor * Blue Hill * Bucksport * Castine * Southwest Harbor * Winter Harbor

Other unincorporated villages

* Bass Harbor *

Bernard Bernard ('' Bernhard'') is a French and West Germanic masculine given name. It has West Germanic origin and is also a surname. The name is attested from at least the 9th century. West Germanic ''Bernhard'' is composed from the two elements ''be ...

* Corea * East Blue Hill * East Orland * Harborside * Hulls Cove * Islesford * Manset * Minturn * Northeast Harbor * Prospect Harbor * Salisbury Cove * Sargentville * Seal Cove * Seal Harbor * Somesville * Enoch's Landing *

Sunset Sunset (or sundown) is the disappearance of the Sun at the end of the Sun path, below the horizon of the Earth (or any other astronomical object in the Solar System) due to its Earth's rotation, rotation. As viewed from everywhere on Earth, it ...

* Town Hill

Education

School districts include:
Text list
/ref> K-12: * Airline Community School District * Blue Hill School District * Brooklin School District * Brooksville School District * Castine School District * Cranberry Isles School District * Dedham School District * Deer Isle-Stonington Community School District * Ellsworth Public Schools * Hancock Public Schools * Frenchboro School District * Lamoine Public Schools * Otis School District * Penobscot School District * Sedgwick School District * Surry School District * Trenton School District * Regional School Unit 24 * Regional School Unit 25 * School Administrative District 76 * Hancock Unorganized Territory Secondary: * Mount Desert Community School District Elementary: * Bar Harbor School District * Mount Desert School District * Southwest Harbor School District * Tremont School District

References

External links

Official Website of Hancock CountyHancock County
on Maine.gov {{Coord, 44.57, -68.37, type:adm2nd_region:US-ME_source:UScensus1990, display=title Maine counties 1789 establishments in Massachusetts Populated places established in 1789