Compare towns
Deer Isle vs Epping vs Mapleton vs Bethel
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Deer Isle has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Epping has the most expensive homes ($437k median).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Bethel has the most people working from home (27.7%).
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 | Deer Isle | Epping | Mapleton | Bethel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,470 |
7,430Highest |
1,884Lowest |
2,617 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
-4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.6±5.6Highest 35% above U.S. |
45.1±3.5 16% above U.S. |
41.8±6Lowest 7% above U.S. |
50.2±6.4 29% above U.S. |
| Deer Isle and Bethel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.7%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±4.8 U.S.: 22% |
22.2%±5.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.9%±4.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Mapleton and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 24.8%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±5.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
29.3%±6.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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+ | 35.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
37% U.S.: 35.7% |
34.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±3.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Epping and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $62,284±$15k 23% below U.S. |
$104,220±$7kHighest 29% above U.S. |
$91,731±$25k 14% above U.S. |
$58,929±$23kLowest 27% below U.S. |
| Epping and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $308,300±$42k 7% below U.S. |
$436,900±$35kHighest 31% above U.S. |
$191,800±$23kLowest 42% below U.S. |
$344,900±$37k 4% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,909±$927Highest 35% above U.S. |
$1,742±$576 23% above U.S. |
$610±$277Lowest 57% below U.S. |
$864±$43 39% below U.S. |
| Deer Isle and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,890 39% below U.S. |
$6,936Highest 122% above U.S. |
$1,789Lowest 43% below U.S. |
$2,835 9% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25.4%±17.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
67.8%±25.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
21.3%±15.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Epping and Deer Isle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 19.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
13.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1986 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 23% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 22% above U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 22%±9.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
24%±6.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
27.7%±8.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bethel and Epping 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 | — | #77 of 120 in NH | — | #49 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Deer Isle-Stonington CSD | Epping School District | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 44/MSAD 44 |
| High school in town | Deer Isle-Stonington High Sch | Epping High School | None in town | Telstar High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.0Lowest |
9.3 |
— | 11.3Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.