Compare towns
Deer Isle vs Mapleton vs Surry vs Casco
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).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Surry has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.3%).
Casco has the most people working from home (26.6%).
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 | Surry | Casco |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,470 |
1,884 |
1,836Lowest |
3,696Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.1% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-2.6% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 52.6±5.6Highest 17% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
52.4±5.6 17% above ME |
52±3.3 16% above ME |
| Deer Isle and Surry 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% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.6%±3.7 ME: 18.1% |
11.3%±3.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Surry 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% |
30.9%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
26.3%±7.8 ME: 22.4% |
| Surry and Casco 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% ME: 36.2% |
38.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
32.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.4%±2.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Casco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $62,284±$15kLowest 17% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$74,508±$12k about the ME average |
$69,313±$19k 7% below ME |
| Mapleton and Surry 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 |
$296,300±$36k about the ME average |
$355,500±$58kHighest 20% above ME |
| Casco 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 |
$969±$129 15% below ME |
$1,395±$184 22% above ME |
| Deer Isle and Casco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,890 38% below ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$1,903 37% below ME |
$3,085Highest about the ME average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25.4%±17.9 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
65.8%±59.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
39.7%±35.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Surry and Casco 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% ME: 10.7% |
7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
11% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.8% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.6% ME: 74.3% |
90%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1987 10 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 17% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
| Work from home | 22%±9.5 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.4%±5 ME: 15.9% |
26.6%±10Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Casco and Deer Isle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Deer Isle-Stonington CSD | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Surry Public Schools | RSU 61/MSAD 61 |
| High school in town | Deer Isle-Stonington High Sch | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.0 |
— | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.