Property tax in Hancock County, Maine
The median property tax bill in Hancock County, Maine is $2,561 a year, which is about 0.83% of the county's median home value of $310,400. That effective rate is lower than the typical Maine county (1.04%) and higher than the national median (0.81%). These are American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2024); your own bill depends on your home's assessed value and any exemptions.
Estimate the property tax on a home in Hancock County
Enter a home's market value for a ballpark at Hancock County's average effective rate of 0.83% (Census). The real bill depends on the home's assessed value, the millage where it sits and any exemptions.
Estimated property tax: $2,576 / year
Property tax in Hancock County at a glance
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Median annual property tax | $2,561 |
| Median home value | $310,400 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.83% |
| Typical Maine county rate | 1.04% |
| National median county rate | 0.81% |
Effective rate = median real estate taxes paid divided by median home value. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
How does Hancock County compare in Maine?
Among Maine's 16 counties, Hancock County has the 16th highest effective property-tax rate. That places it among the least taxed counties in the state. Nationally, it ranks 1510th of 3135 US counties by effective rate. See every Maine county ranked.
How much do homeowners in Hancock County actually pay?
The median is only the middle bill. Across Hancock County's 20,083 owner-occupied homes, 39.2% pay $3,000 or more a year in property tax, 62.6% pay at least $2,000, and 6.7% pay under $800. Another 1.1% report paying no property tax at all, which usually means an exemption covers the whole bill.
| Annual bill | Homes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Under $800 | 1,344 | 6.7% |
| $800 to $1,499 | 3,103 | 15.5% |
| $1,500 to $1,999 | 2,847 | 14.2% |
| $2,000 to $2,999 | 4,701 | 23.4% |
| $3,000 or more | 7,865 | 39.2% |
| No property tax paid | 223 | 1.1% |
Owners with a mortgage pay a median of $2,565 and owners without one pay $2,553. That is within 10% either way, so in Hancock County paying off the house does not go with a noticeably different bill. Census table B25103.
How does the Hancock County property tax bill compare with local incomes?
The median property tax bill of $2,561 is about 3.1% of the median income of Hancock County homeowner households, $83,521 a year. That compares two middles, so a retiree in a long-held home can pay a far larger share. 78.5% of Hancock County's occupied homes are lived in by their owners; renters pay property tax too, just folded into rent.
Have property taxes gone up in Hancock County?
Yes. The median bill went from $2,207 in 2015-2019 to $2,561 in 2020-2024, a 16% rise. Over the same span the median home value moved 45.9%, from $212,700 to $310,400. Bills rose more slowly than values, which is what assessment caps and falling millage rates do: the county is taxing a smaller share of each home's worth.
Two Census ACS 5-year periods with no survey years in common, in each period's own dollars. A change counts only if it exceeds the combined 90% margin of error.
Property tax in counties next to Hancock County
Hancock County borders 4 counties.
| County | Effective rate | Median bill | Median home value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Knox County, ME | 1.17% | $3,786 | $324,900 |
| Penobscot County, ME | 1.16% | $2,481 | $214,100 |
| Waldo County, ME | 1.04% | $2,684 | $257,700 |
| Washington County, ME | 1.04% | $1,683 | $161,800 |
| Hancock County, ME (this county) | 0.83% | $2,561 | $310,400 |
How is a home assessed in Hancock County?
Maine sets the assessment rules and Hancock County applies them. How Maine assesses and reappraises homes.
Is there a homestead exemption in Hancock County?
Yes. Maine's homestead exemption removes up to $25,000 of just value from a permanent resident's home, adjusted by the town's certified ratio. Apply once with the town assessor by April 1. That is the Maine rule, and it applies in Hancock County. Maine's exemptions and relief programs in full.
When are property taxes due in Hancock County?
Maine sets no statewide due date and no statewide number of installments. Each municipality votes its own payment dates when it raises the tax, along with the dates interest starts and the taxes become delinquent, so a town may bill once a year, twice, or quarterly. Check your own tax bill or town office. Towns may also vote a discount of up to 10% for taxpayers who pay early.
That is the Maine rule. Hancock County issues and collects the bill, so the dates printed on your statement are the ones that bind you.
How to appeal your Hancock County property assessment
You contest the assessed value with the your local assessors, then the municipal board of assessment review or the county commissioners, then Superior Court. The filing deadline is typically 185 days after the commitment date. That is the Maine rule; Hancock County sets the exact dates and forms. The Maine appeal process step by step.
Maine rules from primary state sources, reviewed September 7, 2026; sources on the Maine page.
Work out your own numbers
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How much house can I afford?
Your income, debts and down payment against the 28/36 rule lenders actually use, with Hancock County's tax rate to hand.
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Mortgage calculator
Monthly payment with principal, interest, tax and insurance, plus what an extra payment saves you.
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Maine income tax
Brackets, standard deduction and what Maine actually taxes.
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Sales tax in Hancock County
The other local tax: combined state and local rate for this county.
Sources
- Median real estate taxes paid and median home value for Hancock County, Maine: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020-2024), tables B25103, B25077, B25102, B25119 and B25003; the five-year comparison uses the 2015-2019 estimates. Neighboring counties: Census county adjacency file.