Robert H. Patterson's Cavalry, Hancock, Md., Harper's Weekly 1862, 1862
Hancock’s story
173 years in pictures
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1862.
- 1853Hancock is settled
HancockMD
Trash & recyclingPhoto: Aude · CC BY-SA 2.5
Population
1,581
2025 Census estimate · +2% since 2020
Typical home
$254K
+1.7% in a year
Household income
$35K
median
Median age
41.8
years
Jobs based here
804
Balanced
Is Hancock a good place to live?
Hancock’s best subject grade is an A for the outdoors; its weakest is a D for incomes. 24% of residents live below the poverty line in Hancock, above both Maryland’s towns (7%) and U.S. towns (9.6%). On incomes, just 1 of Maryland’s 329 towns do worse. 13% of the land in Hancock is conserved, against 9.5% in Maryland’s towns and 4.3% across U.S. towns. The biggest park or preserve is Kirk Woods Park, at 150 acres. Hancock has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Hancock stand out
Where Hancock beats most towns.
How Hancock grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Maryland), ordered by how far Hancock is from typical.
Jobs & income$35K median household incomeDOpen →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 9% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listAOpen →HealthLess healthy than 83% of U.S. towns; Valley Health War Memorial Hospital 11.2 miles awayC−Open →SchoolsBOpen →Cost of livingBOpen →SafetyB−Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 8.5 of 20; 13% of households have no car; 0.8% of workers walk, bike or ride transitB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors3 miles of trailsAOpen →History5 notable people born hereBOpen →Civic life3.9 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsBOpen →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
Climate–Open →Housing market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 41.8; 10% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Nearby attractions
All 53 attractions →Raven Rock Mountain Complex and 18 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Hancock. Close and well known come first.
Big draw40 mi LandmarkRaven Rock Mountain Complex
in town National Historical ParkChesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park4.6M visitors a year
26 mi National BattlefieldAntietam National Battlefield161K visitors a year
33 mi National Historical ParkHarpers Ferry National Historical Park538K visitors a year
35 mi National park siteCatoctin Mountain Park461K visitors a year
27 mi LandmarkDunker ChurchSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Raven Rock Mountain Complex: US Government, Public domain · Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park: Bonnachoven, CC0 · Antietam National Battlefield: Acroterion, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Harpers Ferry National Historical Park: Mark Fickett, CC BY 3.0 · Catoctin Mountain Park: Acroterion, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Dunker Church: Doug Kerr from Albany, NY, United States, CC BY-SA 2.0
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Hancock: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Hancock, and how to reach them.
PowerPotomac Edison15.4¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterTown of Hancock water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet6 providers99% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpBurgmeier's Trash CollectionTrash haulerTown site
Register to voteOnlineIn Maryland you can register online until 21 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 21 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereWashington County Board of ElectionsWashington County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Aug 2025
ZIP code2175021750 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Mar 11, 2026.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Hancock.
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade A
Very low risk in Hancock, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 91% of U.S. communities. Since 1985, 23 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Hancock.
9risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingHurricanesHeat waves
23
paid flood claims since 1985
2
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
SchoolsB
Hancock’s schools rank ahead of 64% of Maryland districts
Its public schools are run by the Washington County Public Schools. Its two schools are below.
64%of MD districts it outscoresBSchool Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hancock ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 193 | C |
| Hancock Middle Senior HighLargest public high schoolGrades 6–12 | Grades 6–12 | 239 | B |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within MD on state tests and graduation
HealthC−
Compared with most of Maryland and the rest of the country, more of Hancock’s adults report frequent physical distress
16% of Hancock adults report frequent physical distress. Hancock beats the Maryland average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 18. 19% of Hancock adults report frequent mental distress.
17%healthier than U.S. townsC−Health Grade
| Hancock | Maryland towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 11% | 14% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 12% | 14% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 32% | 23% | 25% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 26% | 20% | 23% |
32 measures vs. Maryland
0 better14 too close to call18 worse
| What stands out | Hancock | MD |
|---|---|---|
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 17.8% | 9.9% |
| More adults with COPD | 10.5% | 5.9% |
| More smokers | 18% | 10.9% |
Valley Health War Memorial Hospital
11.2 mi away · emergency room
2 of 3
care shortages: primary care, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
HousingCost of living grade B
A typical Hancock home is worth about $254K
The typical Hancock home is worth about $254,000, up 1.7% in a year, 40% below the Maryland typical home. The median rent in Hancock is $924 a month.
$254KZillow home value
| Hancock | Maryland towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $924 a month | $1,809 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 58% | 74% | 73% |
Typical home value
Hancock$254K
Maryland$425K
+1.7%
value change, 1 year
1
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Climate
Four seasons and pleasant summers in Hancock
Hancock has chilly winters and warm summers. July afternoons reach 87°, January nights drop to 23° and about 27 inches of snow falls in a winter.
27″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter24–43°
Spring40–65°
Summer60–85°
Fall43–67°
Oct 21
typical first frost
Apr 23
typical last frost
+1.5°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
OutdoorsA
13.2% of Hancock is conserved land
2.6 miles of trail in 7 parks and preserves. Hancock’s trail density is 0.9 miles per square mile.
13.2%conserved
13.2%
conserved · 251 of 1,896 acres
2.6 mi
of trails · 0.9 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park | 1.5 mi | 59 |
| 2. Kirk Woods Park | — | 150 |
| 3. Western Maryland Rail Trail | 0.1 mi | 15 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Work & commuteJobs & income grade D
Hancock stands out in Maryland and nationally: the median household income there is lower
Only 1 of the 262 Maryland towns we compare have a lower median household income than Hancock. 12% of working residents work locally in Hancock. Since 2013, Hancock has lost 111 jobs, to 804 in 2023.
12%work in town
| Hancock | Maryland towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $35,000 | $113,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 37 minutes | 32 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 12% | 3.1% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Hancock12%
Hagerstown10%
Frederick4%
Baltimore3%
Robinwood3%
26 mi
median commute distance
804
jobs based in Hancock
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
B−
Walkability grade: more walkable than 50% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
54%of U.S. towns report more crimeB−Safety Grade
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Hancock3.8
Maryland3.7
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Hancock7
Maryland18.5
U.S.15.5
54th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
6
violent crimes reported in 2025
11
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Hancock
20pages on Hancock
The big questions
SchoolsBBeat 64% of MD districts · 2 schoolsSafetyB−3.8 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthC−Better than MD on 0 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingB$254K typical home · up 1.7% in a yearWork & commuteD$35K median household income · 804 jobs hereNatural hazardsAFEMA risk higher than 9% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Hancock; the nearest are
Valley College-MartinsburgUniversity or college · Private for-profit · Martinsburg, WV18.6 miBlue Ridge Community and Technical CollegeCommunity college · Public · Martinsburg, WV20.5 mi$4,752 in-state tuitionShepherd UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Shepherdstown, WV26.8 mi$9,056 in-state tuition
About 3 of every 100 Hancock residents are enrolled in college, against 7 across Maryland.
Famous people from Hancock
5 notable people were born in Hancock.
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About Hancock
Town in Maryland, United States
Hancock is a town in Washington County, Maryland, United States. The population was 1,557 at the 2020 census. The Western Maryland community is notable for being located at the narrowest part of the state. The north–south distance from the Pennsylvania state line to the West Virginia state line is only 1.8 miles (2.9 km) at Hancock.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1853
- Area
- 2.8 sq mi
- Elevation
- 440 ft
- ZIP code
- 21750
Questions about Hancock
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Hancock, MD expensive?
That is 3.2 years of the area's median household income ($78,802 across the Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV metro area). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B.
What is Hancock, MD known for?
5 notable people were born here, including Richard K. Sutherland and Charles Hedding Rowland.