Compare towns
Beals vs Brooklin vs Deer Isle vs Mapleton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Beals has the oldest housing (typical home built 1974).
Brooklin has the most expensive homes ($339k median).
Deer Isle has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.1%).
Mapleton has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Beals | Brooklin | Deer Isle | Mapleton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 498Lowest |
869 |
2,470Highest |
1,884 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+0.4% ME: +2.6% |
+11.1%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48±15.6 7% above ME |
49.2±3.7 10% above ME |
52.6±5.6Highest 17% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
| Deer Isle and Brooklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.1%±6.5 ME: 18.1% |
16.3%±4.2 ME: 18.1% |
14.7%±3.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Brooklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 30.1%±5.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
24.7%±3.2 ME: 22.4% |
24.8%±3.3 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Beals and Deer Isle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.6% ME: 36.2% |
41.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
35.9% ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±5.5 ME: 5.8% |
7.2%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
| Brooklin and Beals are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $64,063±$14k 14% below ME |
$68,750±$8k 8% below ME |
$62,284±$15kLowest 17% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
| Mapleton and Brooklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $256,700±$45k 13% below ME |
$339,400±$90kHighest 14% above ME |
$308,300±$42k 4% above ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
| Brooklin and Deer Isle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $907±$378 20% below ME |
$1,236±$137 9% above ME |
$1,909±$927Highest 68% above ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
| Deer Isle and Brooklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,580Highest 15% below ME |
$1,792 41% below ME |
$1,890 38% below ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 7.4%±71.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
29.5%±25Highest ME: 48.4% |
25.4%±17.9 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Brooklin and Deer Isle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 10.8% ME: 10.7% |
7.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
19.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.9% ME: 74.3% |
84.4% ME: 74.3% |
85.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1976 1 yr older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 17% below ME |
26 min 4% above ME |
20 minLowest 17% below ME |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
| Work from home | 17.6%±10.9 ME: 15.9% |
16.5%±6.8 ME: 15.9% |
22%±9.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Deer Isle and Beals are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Beals Public Schools | Brooklin Public Schools | Deer Isle-Stonington CSD | RSU 79/MSAD 01 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Deer Isle-Stonington High Sch | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 8.0 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
ME average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.