Compare towns
Brooklin vs Waterville 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 most kids (16.3% under 18).
Waterville has the most renters (51.2% rent).
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 | Waterville | Deer Isle |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 869Lowest |
17,077Highest |
2,470 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+0.7% ME: +2.6% |
+11.1%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±3.7 10% above ME |
35.5±2.5Lowest 21% 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%±4.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.4%±2.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
14.7%±3.3 ME: 18.1% |
| Brooklin and Deer Isle 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% |
18.3%±2.5Lowest 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% |
30.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
35.9% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.2%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
18.1%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $68,750±$8kHighest 8% below ME |
$53,580±$4kLowest 28% 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 |
$184,600±$21kLowest 38% 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±$137 9% above ME |
$978±$72Lowest 14% below ME |
$1,909±$927Highest 68% above 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 | $1,792Lowest 41% below ME |
$2,755Highest 9% below ME |
$1,890 38% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 29.5%±25 ME: 48.4% |
50.5%±8.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
25.4%±17.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Waterville and Brooklin 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% |
20.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
19.1% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.4% ME: 74.3% |
48.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1976 1 yr older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minHighest 4% above ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
20 min 17% below ME |
| Work from home | 16.5%±6.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
16.6%±5.6 ME: 15.9% |
22%±9.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Deer Isle and Waterville 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 | — | #105 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Brooklin Public Schools | Waterville Public Schools | Deer Isle-Stonington CSD |
| High school in town | None in town | Waterville Senior High School | Deer Isle-Stonington High Sch |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8Highest |
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.