Compare towns
Deer Isle vs Gorham vs Harrison
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Deer Isle has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Gorham has the highest household income ($112k).
Harrison has the most affordable homes ($249k median).
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 | Gorham | Harrison |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,470Lowest |
18,300Highest |
2,513 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.1% ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-10.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 52.6±5.6 17% above ME |
39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
56±3.6Highest 25% above ME |
| Harrison and Deer Isle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.7%±3.3 ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
9.1%±3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Gorham and Deer Isle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.8%±3.3 ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.8%±7.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Harrison 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% ME: 36.2% |
44.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
30.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $62,284±$15k 17% below ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$56,938±$6kLowest 24% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $308,300±$42k 4% above ME |
$460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
$249,300±$70kLowest 16% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,909±$927Highest 68% above ME |
$1,680±$355 47% above ME |
$885±$193Lowest 22% below ME |
| Deer Isle and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,890Lowest 38% below ME |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
$2,731 10% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25.4%±17.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
27.5%±24.4 ME: 48.4% |
| Gorham and Harrison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 19.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
19.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.8% ME: 74.3% |
81.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 17% below ME |
27 min 10% above ME |
31 minHighest 24% above ME |
| Work from home | 22%±9.5 ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
22.3%±9.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Harrison and Deer Isle 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 | — | #24 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Deer Isle-Stonington CSD | Gorham Public Schools | RSU 17/MSAD 17 |
| High school in town | Deer Isle-Stonington High Sch | Gorham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.0Lowest |
12.9Highest |
— |
| 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.