Hancock County

Hancock County, Maine — key demographics

Population size

• 55,478 (2020 Census)

Age

• Median age: ~49.8 years (ACS 2018–2022)
• Under 18: ~17.4%
• 18–64: ~57.2%
• 65 and over: ~25.4%

Gender

• Female: ~51.3%
• Male: ~48.7%

Race and ethnicity (ACS 2018–2022)

• White alone: ~94.6%
• Black or African American alone: ~0.6%
• American Indian and Alaska Native alone: ~0.8%
• Asian alone: ~1.1%
• Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone: ~0.0%
• Some other race alone: ~0.3%
• Two or more races: ~2.6%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~1.7%
• White alone, not Hispanic or Latino: ~93.3%

Household data (ACS 2018–2022)

• Households: ~25.8k
• Persons per household: ~2.18
• Family households: ~59% of households
• Married-couple families: ~47% of households
• Households with children under 18: ~23%
• Householder living alone: ~33% (65+ living alone: ~14%)
• Owner-occupied housing unit rate: ~78% (renter-occupied ~22%)

Insights

• Older age profile with about one-quarter aged 65+
• Small average household size and high owner-occupancy
• Predominantly White non-Hispanic population with limited racial/ethnic diversity

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census; American Community Survey 2018–2022 5-year estimates.

Hancock County, ME snapshot

• Population and density: 55,500 residents (2020 Census) across 1,587 sq mi of land (35 people/sq mi).
• Estimated email users: ~44,000 residents (≈80% of the population; roughly 90%+ of connected adults).
• Age distribution of email users (reflecting the county’s older profile):
  • 18–34: ~20%
  • 35–64: ~52%
  • 65+: ~28% (adoption among 65+ ≈85–88%)
• Gender split among users: ~51% female, ~49% male (mirrors county demographics).
• Digital access trends:
  • ~85% of households maintain a broadband subscription; ~90% have a computer; ~83–85% of adults use smartphones.
  • Fiber expansion (e.g., Fidium/Consolidated and public grants including BEAD/ConnectMaine) is boosting speeds in Ellsworth, Bar Harbor, Blue Hill, and along US‑1, while remote townships and islands still lean on DSL or satellite.
  • About 1 in 7 households lacks fixed broadband, so mobile‑only email use is common in rural tracts.
• Local connectivity facts: Seasonal surges on Mount Desert Island and coastal towns increase peak demand; low-density interiors and island geographies raise last‑mile costs and slow deployment, contributing to adoption gaps despite ongoing buildouts.

Hancock County, Maine — mobile phone usage snapshot (2024)

Headline user estimates

• Total population: ~55,500; adults (18+): ~45,800
• Estimated smartphone users: ~42,000
  • Share of adults using smartphones: ~86%
  • Share of total population using smartphones: ~76%
• Households with at least one smartphone: ~21,000–22,000 (roughly 82–85% of ~25,700 households)
• Smartphone-only internet households (no home fixed broadband): ~2,000–2,500 (about 8–10% of households)

Demographic breakdown (users and adoption)

• By age (adoption rate → estimated users)
  • 18–34: ~9,200 adults; ~96% adopt → ~8,800 users
  • 35–49: ~8,900 adults; ~95% adopt → ~8,500 users
  • 50–64: ~13,300 adults; ~87% adopt → ~11,600 users
  • 65+: ~14,600 adults; ~73% adopt → ~10,700 users
  • Teens 13–17: ~2,700; ~95% adopt → ~2,600 users
• By geography in-county
  • Highest adoption and 5G use: Ellsworth, Bar Harbor, Trenton/MDI corridor, Bucksport/Orland, Blue Hill village
  • Lower adoption and heavier smartphone-only reliance: outer peninsulas (e.g., Blue Hill Peninsula beyond Surry/Blue Hill), Schoodic area east of Winter Harbor, interior rural townships, and offshore islands (e.g., Swans Island, Frenchboro, Isle au Haut)
• By tenure/income (directional)
  • Renters and lower-income households are more likely to be smartphone-only for home internet than owners and higher-income households, reflecting gaps in affordable wired broadband in rural and coastal fringe areas

Digital infrastructure and performance

• Networks present: AT&T (including FirstNet), Verizon, and T-Mobile serve the county
• 4G LTE: Broad outdoor coverage across populated roads and towns; indoor coverage can be inconsistent in older buildings and along forested or coastal terrain
• 5G availability
  • Mid-band 5G (fastest everyday 5G) is concentrated along US‑1 and ME‑3 (Ellsworth ↔ Bar Harbor/MDI), and around larger service centers (e.g., Ellsworth, Bucksport). Coverage becomes spotty on outlying peninsulas and islands, where LTE remains primary
  • Low-band 5G broadly overlays LTE but often provides LTE-like speeds in fringe areas
• Seasonal load: June–September tourism surges in the MDI/Acadia corridor drive noticeable congestion; median speeds and app responsiveness decline at popular viewpoints and town centers during peak hours
• Backhaul/fiber context: Recent fiber builds have improved capacity in Ellsworth/MDI and along main corridors; many rural roads and islands still rely on microwave backhaul or older copper-fed sites, limiting peak cell throughput compared with urban Maine

How Hancock County differs from Maine statewide

• Older population mix: With a larger 65+ share than the state average, the county’s adult smartphone adoption (~86%) runs a few points lower than Maine overall. The age mix also pulls down the share of daily mobile video and app-based telehealth compared with younger counties
• More smartphone-only households: Due to patchier wired broadband off the main corridors and on islands, smartphone-only internet use is meaningfully higher than the state average
• More variable performance: Seasonal tourism produces sharper congestion spikes than typical for Maine, making performance less consistent day to day than in places like the Portland metro or Bangor
• 5G deployment pattern: Statewide, 5G mid-band is densest in urban/suburban Cumberland and Penobscot counties; in Hancock, mid-band 5G is focused on Ellsworth–MDI and US‑1 towns, with large rural gaps where LTE dominates
• Coverage gaps are more coastal/rugged: Dead zones and weak indoor signal are more likely on narrow peninsulas, granite bluffs, and across water to islands than in most inland Maine counties, increasing reliance on Wi‑Fi calling and signal boosters

Actionable insights

• Expect strong smartphone penetration but plan for lower usage among seniors and more device support needs in healthcare, civic services, and tourism aimed at older visitors and residents
• Design mobile services to work well on congested networks June–September in MDI/Acadia (offline modes, low-bandwidth options, deferred sync)
• Prioritize in‑app Wi‑Fi calling guidance and offline maps for users in coastal fringe and island communities
• For network planning, incremental gains will come from small cells and added mid-band sectors in Ellsworth/Bar Harbor and temporary capacity during peak tourism, plus targeted upgrades on peninsulas with persistent weak spots

Notes on method

• User counts are derived by applying current U.S. age-specific smartphone adoption rates to Hancock County’s age structure and adding teen adoption; household metrics align with recent ACS computer/internet-use patterns for rural Maine counties. Figures are rounded to communicate practical scale and reflect 2024 conditions.

Social media usage in Hancock County, Maine (2024 snapshot)

Context and user base

• Population: ~56,000; median age ~49; 65+ ≈ 25–27%; female ≈ 51% (ACS 2022–2023). Older age profile than U.S. average.
• Internet access: Household broadband adoption roughly low–mid 80% range (ACS).
• Adult social media adoption: Expect roughly 7 in 10 adults active on at least one platform, in line with U.S. rural patterns (Pew).

Most-used platforms among adults (share of adults who use each platform; county estimates benchmarked to Pew 2024 + rural deltas)

• YouTube: 80–82%
• Facebook: 70–72%
• Instagram: 35–40%
• Pinterest: 30–35%
• TikTok: 28–30%
• Snapchat: 22–25%
• LinkedIn: 22–25%
• X (Twitter): 20–22%
• Reddit: 15–18%

Age-group profile (usage tendencies in the county)

• 18–29: Very high on Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat; nearly universal YouTube; Facebook used but not primary for content creation.
• 30–49: Broadest multi-platform use; Instagram and Facebook strongest; YouTube nearly universal; TikTok adoption moderate.
• 50–64: Facebook and YouTube dominate; Pinterest meaningful among women; Instagram moderate; TikTok niche but growing for entertainment.
• 65+: Facebook is the anchor network; YouTube used for how-to and news; limited Instagram/TikTok.

Gender breakdown (relative tendencies, reflecting Pew 2024 patterns)

• Women: Over-index on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok; drive community groups, events, school/rec content, and local buy/sell activity.
• Men: Over-index on YouTube, Reddit, X; higher engagement with news, DIY/outdoors, tech, and sports content.

Behavioral trends observed/expected locally

• Facebook is the community backbone: heavy use of town and school pages, emergency/weather updates, local groups (buy/sell/swap, yard sales, fishermen and boaters, trail and road conditions).
• Tourism seasonality (May–Oct): Spikes in Instagram and TikTok content around Acadia National Park, Bar Harbor, and coastal towns; higher volume of photo/video posts, stories, and location tags; best-performing content is scenic, wildlife, hiking, dining, and lodging.
• Visual-first consumption: Short-form vertical video (Reels/TikTok) sees strong completion for under-35; 35+ engages more with photo carousels and link posts on Facebook.
• Events and fundraising: High participation for local nonprofits, arts, libraries, schools, volunteer fire/EMS; Facebook Events and Groups drive RSVPs and shares.
• Messaging: Facebook Messenger is the default for local organizations; WhatsApp is niche (used mainly by service workers and international visitors).
• Timing: Engagement peaks evenings (7–9 p.m. ET) and weekend mornings; weather and school-related posts spike early mornings on weekdays.
• Trust and locality: Posts with recognizable places, local faces, or town names outperform generic content; comments and shares concentrate in community groups over brand pages.

Notes on methodology

• Percentages for platform use are county-specific estimates aligned to Pew Research Center’s 2024 U.S. social media adoption (with rural/age adjustments) and Hancock County’s older age structure (ACS). They reflect likely adult usage shares rather than exact measured counts for the county.