Compare towns
Brooklin vs Thomaston 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
Brooklin has the highest household income ($69k).
Thomaston has the shortest commute (14 min average).
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 | Brooklin | Thomaston | Deer Isle |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 869Lowest |
2,769Highest |
2,470 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.4% ME: +2.6% |
-1.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.1%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±3.7Lowest 10% above ME |
58.1±6.6Highest 30% above ME |
52.6±5.6 17% above ME |
| Thomaston and Deer Isle 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% |
19.2%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.7%±3.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Thomaston and Brooklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
35.5%±8.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
24.8%±3.3 ME: 22.4% |
| Thomaston 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+ | 41.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
30.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
35.9% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.2%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.6%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $68,750±$8kHighest 8% below ME |
$56,435±$13kLowest 24% below ME |
$62,284±$15k 17% below ME |
| Brooklin and Deer Isle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $339,400±$90kHighest 14% above ME |
$271,700±$10kLowest 8% below ME |
$308,300±$42k 4% above 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 | $1,236±$137Lowest 9% above ME |
$1,262±$343 11% above ME |
$1,909±$927Highest 68% above ME |
| Deer Isle and Thomaston 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 |
$4,487Highest 48% above ME |
$1,890 38% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 29.5%±25 ME: 48.4% |
60.5%±23.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
25.4%±17.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Thomaston and Brooklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.7% ME: 10.7% |
6.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
19.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.4% ME: 74.3% |
73.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1951Lowest 26 yrs older than ME |
1976 1 yr older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minHighest 4% above ME |
14 minLowest 45% below ME |
20 min 17% below ME |
| Work from home | 16.5%±6.8 ME: 15.9% |
4.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
22%±9.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Deer Isle and Brooklin 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 | — | #99 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Brooklin Public Schools | RSU 13 | Deer Isle-Stonington CSD |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Deer Isle-Stonington High Sch |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 8.0 |
| 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.