Compare towns
Deer Isle vs Mapleton vs Bethel
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.1%).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
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 | Mapleton | Bethel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,470 |
1,884Lowest |
2,617Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.1%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 52.6±5.6Highest 17% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
50.2±6.4 12% above ME |
| 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 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.9%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Bethel 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% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.3%±6.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| 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% ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
41.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Bethel 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 17% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$58,929±$23kLowest 21% below ME |
| Mapleton and Deer Isle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $308,300±$42k 4% above ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$344,900±$37kHighest 16% above ME |
| Bethel and Deer Isle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,909±$927Highest 68% above ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$864±$43 24% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,890 38% below ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$2,835Highest 7% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25.4%±17.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
21.3%±15.4 ME: 48.4% |
| Deer Isle and Bethel 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% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
13.9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 17% below ME |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
26 min 5% above ME |
| Work from home | 22%±9.5 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
27.7%±8.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Bethel 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 | — | — | #49 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Deer Isle-Stonington CSD | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 44/MSAD 44 |
| High school in town | Deer Isle-Stonington High Sch | None in town | Telstar High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.0Lowest |
— | 11.3Highest |
| 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.