Compare towns
Bethel vs Naples 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%).
Naples has the highest household income ($78k).
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 | Naples | Deer Isle |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,617 |
3,985Highest |
2,470Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+1.4% ME: +2.6% |
+11.1%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 50.2±6.4 12% above ME |
49.8±6.8Lowest 11% above 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%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.6%±4 ME: 18.1% |
14.7%±3.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Bethel and Naples 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% |
23.3%±5.4Lowest 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% |
37.9% ME: 36.2% |
35.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $58,929±$23kLowest 21% below ME |
$78,188±$13kHighest 5% above ME |
$62,284±$15k 17% below ME |
| Naples 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 |
$340,100±$48k 15% above ME |
$308,300±$42kLowest 4% above ME |
| Bethel and Naples are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $864±$43Lowest 24% below ME |
$1,941±$625Highest 70% above ME |
$1,909±$927 68% above ME |
| Naples and Deer Isle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,835Highest 7% below ME |
$2,784 8% below ME |
$1,890Lowest 38% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 21.3%±15.4Lowest ME: 48.4% |
59.9%±40.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
25.4%±17.9 ME: 48.4% |
| Naples and Deer Isle 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% |
9.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
19.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
87.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
85.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 5% above ME |
38 minHighest 56% above ME |
20 minLowest 17% below ME |
| Work from home | 27.7%±8.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
26.7%±11.8 ME: 15.9% |
22%±9.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Bethel and Naples 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 | #118 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 44/MSAD 44 | RSU 61/MSAD 61 | Deer Isle-Stonington CSD |
| High school in town | Telstar High School | Lake Region High School | Deer Isle-Stonington High Sch |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3 |
11.7Highest |
8.0Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.