Hancock County, Maine

County Distress Index: Normal · 47.8 | 56,526 people · 11th most distressed in Maine
American Default Research

Behind on your mortgage or facing eviction? Take a 2-minute assessment to see your options.

Hancock County, ME falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 47.8 — 1766th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Employment & Wages, where unemployment is elevated, wages are low relative to housing costs, and business formation lags. Within Maine, it ranks 11th of 16 counties. Among its 4 neighboring counties, 3 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Hancock County's primary driver is Employment & Wages at 67.1 — above the national median.

Employment & Wages Primary driver 67.1
Unemployment Rate 58
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 89
Business Formation Rate 54
Housing Cost Burden 65.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 73
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 63
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 89
Homeownership Rate 25
Rent-to-Income Ratio 79
Community Vulnerability 48.2
Uninsured Rate 66
Disability Rate 30
Debt & Delinquency 33.5
Debt in Collections 34
Medical Debt 79
Student Loan Delinquency 37
Auto Loan Delinquency 23
Credit Card Delinquency 26
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 1
Income & Poverty 24.3
Poverty Rate 21
Income vs. State Median 26
Child Poverty Rate 26

Scores are percentile-based: 50 = national median, higher = more distressed. The median line is shown on each bar.

Neighbors and Peers

How Hancock County compares to its 4 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Hancock County
Hancock County, ME 47.8 Normal —
Washington County, ME 66.8 Serious +19.0
Penobscot County, ME 53.5 Elevated +5.8
Waldo County, ME 52.3 Elevated +4.6
Knox County, ME 37.7 Normal -10.0

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Hancock County
Worcester County, MD 47.8 Normal +0.0
Lenawee County, MI 47.7 Normal -0.0
Lamar County, MS 47.7 Normal -0.1
Pulaski County, MO 47.7 Normal -0.1
McCracken County, KY 47.7 Normal -0.1

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for Hancock County as a CSV file.

Find Help in Hancock County

Find an Attorney

Maine State Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service offers a lawyer referral service for bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, and consumer rights.

Maine State Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service 207-622-7523

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Hancock County residents at no cost.

Pine Tree Legal Assistance 207-774-8211

American Default Research does not endorse, rate, or rank any provider. Verify attorney credentials with your state bar.

Need legal help? Find a foreclosure defense attorney in Maine →

Continue Reading

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Hancock County, Maine?

    Hancock County has a County Distress Index score of 47.8 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,766th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 11th in Maine out of 16 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Hancock County?

    The primary driver of distress in Hancock County is Employment & Wages, where the county scores 67.1 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Hancock County compare to neighboring counties?

    Hancock County (47.8) can be compared to its 4 neighboring counties: Washington County, ME (66.8); Penobscot County, ME (53.5); Waldo County, ME (52.3).

  • How is the County Distress Index calculated?

    The County Distress Index uses percentile-rank averaging across five domains: Debt & Delinquency, Income & Poverty, Housing Cost Burden, Employment & Wages, and Community Vulnerability. Each county's indicators are ranked against all 3,144 U.S. counties. A score of 50 means the county is at the national median; higher scores indicate greater distress.

  • What is the population of Hancock County?

    Hancock County, Maine has a population of approximately 56,526 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.