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Poverty in Maine -
2003
County Profiles: Hancock County
People
Income and poverty rates in Hancock County are close to or slightly
better than the state averages. Levels of educational attainment are
higher than in the state as a whole. As reported in Census 2000:
- Per-capita income is slightly above the state's average, but
median household income is 3.8% below the state average.
- The household poverty rate is slightly lower than in the state as
a whole. Compared with the statewide totals, a somewhat higher
proportion of below-poverty households consists of non-family
households (persons living alone or unrelated individuals). More
than half of the people living alone are under the age of 65.
- A considerably higher proportion of the Hancock County population
has college degrees (Associate or Bachelor's) than in the state as a
whole. Hancock has the second highest proportion of people with
college degrees of any county in the state.
| Population
Poverty Status, by Age |
| |
Below Poverty |
Above Poverty |
(Number) |
County
(5,159) |
State
(135,501) |
County
(45,235) |
State
(1,105,392) |
| Age |
|
| Under 18 |
27.3% |
29.6% |
21.8% |
23.0% |
| 18-64 |
58.1% |
57.2% |
62.4% |
62.8% |
| 65 and over |
14.6% |
13.2% |
15.8% |
14.2% |
| Education Levels |
| |
County |
State |
| (Population age 25 and over) |
(36,416) |
(869,893) |
| Less that high school |
12.2% |
14.6% |
| High school |
34.4% |
36.2% |
| Some college, no degree |
19.5% |
19.0% |
| Associate degree |
6.7% |
7.4% |
| Bachelor's or higher |
27.1% |
22.9% |
| Household
Poverty Status, by Household Type (as percent of all
households) |
(Number households) |
County
(21,859)
|
State
(518,372) |
| Poverty Status |
Below |
Above |
Below |
Above |
| Family Households |
|
|
Married-couple |
2.2% |
51.9% |
2.1% |
51.3% |
| Female
householder, no spouse |
1.9% |
5.8% |
2.6% |
6.6% |
| Male
householder, no spouse |
0.5% |
3.0% |
0.5% |
3.0% |
| Other Households |
|
| Single
person, under age 65 |
2.9% |
13.3% |
3.0% |
13.1% |
| Single
person, age 65 or over |
2.3% |
9.4% |
2.1% |
8.7% |
| Other
non-family |
1.2% |
5.7% |
1.2% |
5.8% |
| Total households |
10.8% |
89.2% |
11.5% |
88.5% |
Income and Employment
Employment figures for the county are about the same as state
averages, but there is a somewhat higher proportion of "working
poor."
- The average unemployment rate as reported by the Maine Department
of Labor for 2002 was 4.4% in Hancock County, the same as the state
average.
- Among households below poverty in Hancock County (Census 2000),
68% reported having one or more members working part- or full-time
in the past year, compared with 61% statewide.
| Income |
| |
County |
State |
| Median Household Income |
$35,811 |
$37,240 |
| Per-capita Income |
$19,809 |
$19,533 |
| (Number households) |
(21,859) |
(518,372) |
| Household Income, by ranges |
| Under $20,000 |
25.4% |
25.0% |
| $20,000 - $29,999 |
15.6% |
14.9% |
| $30,000 and above |
59.0% |
60.2% |
| Household
Poverty Status and Employment |
| |
Percent
of Households Below Poverty |
Percent
of Households Above Poverty |
| |
Full-time
work |
Less than
full-time |
Did not
work |
Full-time
work |
Less than
full-time |
Did not
work |
| Family Households |
17.0% |
51.3% |
31.8% |
63.9% |
22.0% |
14.1% |
| Other Households |
4.5% |
40.9% |
54.6% |
44.5% |
28.8% |
26.8% |
| Unemployment Rate (2002 monthly
average) |
|
County |
State |
| Labor force |
29,320 |
686,200 |
| Percent unemployed |
4.4% |
4.4% |
Housing and Transportation
Housing affordability in Hancock is about the same as the state
average; as in most of the state, a large proportion of the poorest
households report spending 35% or more of their monthly income for
housing. Hancock County has had a rapid growth rate in recent years, so
housing availability and costs are becoming problematic in some parts of
the county for lower income households. Because of the high price (and
high taxes) of coastal properties, there is a great deal of variability
in housing costs from one community to another.
Percent of
Households with Income Below $35,000
Paying More Than 35% of Monthly Income for Housing |
| |
County |
State |
| Income |
Renters |
Owners |
All Households |
Renters |
Owners |
All Households |
| Under $10,000 |
70.8% |
74.5% |
72.3% |
68.6% |
75.5% |
70.7% |
| $10,000 - $19,999 |
54.9% |
34.0% |
43.5% |
52.1% |
39.6% |
46.4% |
| $20,000 - $34,999 |
10.7% |
24.6% |
19.9% |
12.9% |
23.6% |
19.1% |
| Households
Lacking Access to Vehicle |
| |
County |
State |
(Number) |
Renters
(5,332) |
Owners
(16,532) |
All Households
(21,864) |
Renters
(147,280) |
Owners
(370,920) |
All Households
(518,200) |
|
%
|
14.7% |
3.3% |
6.1% |
18.5% |
3.3% |
7.6% |
Benefits and Assistance
Hancock County residents showed a variable pattern in their
participation in DHS benefits programs (TANF and food stamps) and in
overall participation in LIHEAP in the last fiscal year (October 1,
2001-September 30, 2002).
- A much lower proportion of both households and individuals
received TANF or food stamp benefits than in the state as a whole.
Hancock had the lowest participation rate in these programs of any
Maine county.
- The level of participation in the LIHEAP program was comparable to
the state average.
- Compared with LIHEAP households statewide, a considerably smaller
proportion of households in Hancock had supplemental security income
(SSI) or Medicaid, and a somewhat smaller proportion reported income
from wages.
| TANF/Food Stamps
and LIHEAP Benefits* |
| |
County |
State |
TANF &/or Food Stamps
(monthly avg. unduplicated count) |
Number |
Percent |
Number |
Percent |
| Cases |
1,360 |
6.2% |
55,445 |
10.7% |
| Recipients |
2,635 |
5.1% |
108,767 |
8.5% |
| LIHEAP |
|
| Households |
2,070 |
9.5% |
46,994 |
9.1% |
| Recipients |
4,348 |
8.4% |
98,825 |
7.8% |
| Hslds age 65 and over |
782 |
13.3% |
16,937 |
13.2% |
| *Percentage cases or
households is % of total county or state households; percentage
recipients is % of county or state population. |
| LIHEAP Client
Household Characteristics* |
| |
County |
State |
| (Number households) |
(2,070) |
(46,994) |
| Average household income |
$10,724 |
$11,209 |
| % Single person households |
47.1% |
45.5% |
| % Receiving food stamps |
37.9% |
49.7% |
| % Medicaid |
54.7% |
57.5% |
| % SSI |
10.4% |
22.9% |
| % SS/SSD |
55.3% |
52.8% |
| % With wages or self-employment |
5.5% |
8.6% |
| % LIHEAP applicants age 65 and over |
37.8% |
36.0% |
| *Percentage is % of
LIHEAP households |
|
