Compare towns
Brooklin vs Cushing vs Unity 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
Cushing has the highest household income ($84k).
Unity has the youngest population (median age 27.5).
Deer Isle has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.1%).
Unity is a college town. 30% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Brooklin | Cushing | Unity | Deer Isle |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 869Lowest |
1,460 |
1,858 |
2,470Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.4% ME: +2.6% |
-2.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.2% ME: +2.6% |
+11.1%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±3.7 10% above ME |
48.8±7.7 9% above ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
52.6±5.6Highest 17% above 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 | 16.3%±4.2 ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
14.7%±3.3 ME: 18.1% |
| Cushing and Brooklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 24.7%±3.2 ME: 22.4% |
20.5%±0.9 ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
24.8%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Deer Isle and Brooklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
38.4% ME: 36.2% |
22.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
35.9% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.2%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $68,750±$8k 8% below ME |
$83,500±$19kHighest 12% above ME |
$62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
$62,284±$15kLowest 17% below ME |
| Cushing and Brooklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $339,400±$90k 14% above ME |
$409,800±$44kHighest 38% above ME |
$206,900±$28kLowest 30% below ME |
$308,300±$42k 4% above ME |
| Cushing and Brooklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,236±$137 9% above ME |
$1,553±$376 36% above ME |
$873±$73Lowest 23% below ME |
$1,909±$927Highest 68% above ME |
| Deer Isle and Cushing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,792Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,944Highest 30% above ME |
$2,510 17% below ME |
$1,890 38% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 29.5%±25 ME: 48.4% |
33.7%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13Highest ME: 48.4% |
25.4%±17.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Unity and Cushing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.3% ME: 10.7% |
19.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.4% ME: 74.3% |
84.7% ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minHighest 4% above ME |
23 min 5% below ME |
21 min 14% below ME |
20 minLowest 17% below ME |
| Work from home | 16.5%±6.8 ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±6.3 ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
22%±9.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Deer Isle and Cushing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Brooklin Public Schools | RSU 13 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | Deer Isle-Stonington CSD |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Ecology Learning Ctr | Deer Isle-Stonington High Sch |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.4Highest |
8.0Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.