Compare towns
Bethel vs Mapleton vs Deer Isle
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bethel has the most people working from home (27.7%).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Deer Isle has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.1%).
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 | Bethel | Mapleton | Deer Isle |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,617Highest |
1,884Lowest |
2,470 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
+11.1%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 50.2±6.4 12% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
52.6±5.6Highest 17% above ME |
| Deer Isle and Bethel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.9%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.7%±3.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Bethel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.3%±6.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
24.8%±3.3 ME: 22.4% |
| Bethel 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+ | 41.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
35.9% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Bethel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $58,929±$23kLowest 21% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$62,284±$15k 17% below ME |
| Mapleton and Deer Isle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $344,900±$37kHighest 16% above ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$308,300±$42k 4% above ME |
| Bethel and Deer Isle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $864±$43 24% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,909±$927Highest 68% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,835Highest 7% below ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$1,890 38% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 21.3%±15.4 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
25.4%±17.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Deer Isle and Bethel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.9% ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
19.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 5% above ME |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
20 minLowest 17% below ME |
| Work from home | 27.7%±8.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
22%±9.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Bethel and Deer Isle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #49 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | RSU 44/MSAD 44 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Deer Isle-Stonington CSD |
| High school in town | Telstar High School | None in town | Deer Isle-Stonington High Sch |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3Highest |
— | 8.0Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.