Total enrollment
5,938
-389 (-6%) vs SY 2017-18
Hancock County
Maine · Public K-12
Hancock County in Maine is home to 35 public K-12 schools, serving roughly 5,938 students between them, broken out as 28 elementary, 2 middle, and 5 high. Ellsworth Public Schools is the largest district by enrollment.
7-year change in Hancock County
SY 2017-18 vs SY 2024-25School count
34
+1 (+3%) vs SY 2017-18
% White
90%
was 93%
% Hispanic
3%
was 2%
% Black
2%
was 1%
% Asian
1%
was 1%
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
Schools
35
25 districts
Enrollment
5,938
NCES CCD
Median income
$72,744
Above Maine avg
Free/reduced lunch
45.6%
Below Maine avg
Elementary
28
3,856 students
Middle
2
439 students
High
5
1,643 students
Combined / other
0
schools
LARGEST DISTRICT
Ellsworth Public Schools
1,261 students · 25 districts in Hancock County
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of Hancock County residents (Census ACS 5-year). Right bar is the enrollment-weighted makeup of public schools in the county (NCES CCD). NCES systematically under-reports Hispanic, Pacific Islander, and Native American enrollment for many schools; where the resident share is meaningful but the reported school share is zero, we mark the school bar "not reported".
County residents
School enrollment
Bachelor's+
40.1%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
5.6%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
4.6%
civilian labor
Median age
49
16.2% under 18
Test scores in Hancock County
Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 14 schools ranked. Maine state average: 64.1%.
Top 5 schools (ELA)
- Conners-Emerson School· 86.2%
- Blue Hill Consolidated School· 83.9%
- Mt Desert Elementary School· 83.2%
- Dedham School· 81.8%
- Hancock Grammar School· 66.9%
Lowest 5 schools (ELA)
- Bucksport High School· 50.0%
- Bucksport Middle School· 50.7%
- Mountain View Sch· 52.7%
- Deer Isle-Stonington Elementary Sch· 55.5%
- Sumner Middle Sch· 59.2%
| Name | City | Level | Grades | Enrollment | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ellsworth Elementary-Middle School | Ellsworth | Elementary | PK-08 | 740 | · |
| Ellsworth High School | Ellsworth | High | 09-12 | 521 | · |
| Mt Desert Island High School | Bar Harbor | High | 09-12 | 453 | · |
| Bucksport High School | Bucksport | High | 09-12 | 361 | · |
| Conners-Emerson School | Bar Harbor | Elementary | KG-08 | 346 | · |
| Miles Lane School | Bucksport | Elementary | 01-04 | 316 | · |
| Bucksport Middle School | Bucksport | Middle | 05-08 | 292 | · |
| Blue Hill Consolidated School | Blue Hill | Elementary | PK-08 | 256 | · |
| Deer Isle-Stonington Elementary Sch | Deer Isle | Elementary | PK-08 | 249 | · |
| Sumner Memorial High School | Sullivan | High | 09-12 | 214 | · |
| Hancock Grammar School | Hancock | Elementary | KG-08 | 188 | · |
| Dedham School | Dedham | Elementary | PK-08 | 167 | · |
| Mt Desert Elementary School | Northeast Harbor | Elementary | PK-08 | 161 | · |
| Mountain View Sch | Sullivan | Elementary | PK-05 | 152 | · |
| Sumner Middle Sch | Sullivan | Middle | 06-08 | 147 | · |
| Lamoine Consolidated School | Lamoine | Elementary | KG-08 | 137 | · |
| Surry Elementary School | Surry | Elementary | PK-08 | 134 | · |
| Pemetic Elementary School | Southwest Harbor | Elementary | PK-08 | 127 | · |
| Tremont Consolidated School | Bass Harbor | Elementary | PK-08 | 127 | · |
| Trenton Elementary School | Trenton | Elementary | PK-08 | 120 | · |
| G Herbert Jewett School | Bucksport | Elementary | PK-KG | 98 | · |
| Deer Isle-Stonington High Sch | Deer Isle | High | 09-12 | 94 | · |
| Beech Hill School | Otis | Elementary | PK-08 | 70 | · |
| Sedgwick Elementary School | Sedgwick | Elementary | PK-08 | 67 | · |
| Peninsula Sch | Prospect Harbor | Elementary | PK-05 | 65 | · |
| Penobscot Elementary School | Penobscot | Elementary | PK-08 | 65 | · |
| Cave Hill Sch | Eastbrook | Elementary | PK-05 | 61 | · |
| Brooklin School | Brooklin | Elementary | PK-08 | 57 | · |
| Adams School | Castine | Elementary | PK-08 | 45 | · |
| Brooksville Elementary School | Brooksville | Elementary | PK-08 | 42 | · |
| Airline Community School | Aurora | Elementary | PK-08 | 30 | · |
| Swans Island Elementary School | Swans Island | Elementary | KG-08 | 29 | · |
| Cranberry Isles School | Cranberry Isles | Elementary | KG-08 | 5 | · |
| Frenchboro Elementary School | Frenchboro | Elementary | KG-08 | 2 | · |
| Hancock County Technical Center | Ellsworth | Elementary | N-N | · | · |
Cities in Hancock County
Bucksport4 schoolsEllsworth3 schoolsSullivan3 schoolsBar Harbor2 schoolsDeer Isle2 schoolsAurora1 schoolBass Harbor1 schoolBlue Hill1 schoolBrooklin1 schoolBrooksville1 schoolCastine1 schoolCranberry Isles1 schoolDedham1 schoolEastbrook1 schoolFrenchboro1 schoolHancock1 schoolLamoine1 schoolNortheast Harbor1 schoolOtis1 schoolPenobscot1 schoolProspect Harbor1 schoolSedgwick1 schoolSouthwest Harbor1 schoolSurry1 schoolSwans Island1 schoolTrenton1 school
About Hancock County
Hancock County is a rural-scale Maine county of about 56,460 residents, home to 35 public schools and roughly 5,938 students.
Stepping back, census numbers show median household income runs near $72,744, about 40% of adults have a bachelor's degree or above, and the federal-poverty share is near 6%.
For a sense of the school types, Hancock County consists of 28 elementary schools (3,856 students), 2 middle schools (439), and 5 high schools (1,643).
Ellsworth Public Schools is the biggest district by enrollment, covering about 1,261 students across Hancock County.
Looking at the last 7 years. Across the same 7-year window, public-school enrollment declined 6%: 6,327 students in SY 2017-18 versus 5,938 in SY 2024-25. Hancock County now counts 34 public schools, up from 33 in SY 2017-18. The White share of public-school enrollment shrank from 93% to 90%.
On this page, the community for Hancock County discusses open enrollment windows, redistricting talk, and busing logistics. Posts come from current and former families, staff, and alumni.
Frequently asked questions
Hancock County school rankings
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data