Compare towns
Deer Isle vs Mount Desert vs Brooklin
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%).
Mount Desert has the most expensive homes ($522k median).
Brooklin has the most kids (16.3% under 18).
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 | Mount Desert | Brooklin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,470Highest |
1,671 |
869Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.1%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+4.5% ME: +2.6% |
+0.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 52.6±5.6 17% above ME |
54.9±8.2Highest 23% above ME |
49.2±3.7Lowest 10% above ME |
| Mount Desert 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% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.3%±4.2Highest 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+ | 24.8%±3.3 ME: 22.4% |
29.1%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
24.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Mount Desert 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%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
64.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
41.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±4.1 ME: 5.8% |
7.2%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Brooklin and Mount Desert 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 |
$92,813±$9kHighest 24% above ME |
$68,750±$8k 8% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $308,300±$42kLowest 4% above ME |
$522,100±$66kHighest 76% above ME |
$339,400±$90k 14% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,909±$927Highest 68% above ME |
$1,341±$89 18% above ME |
$1,236±$137Lowest 9% above ME |
| Deer Isle and Mount Desert 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 |
$3,512Highest 16% above ME |
$1,792Lowest 41% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25.4%±17.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
33.9%±31.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
29.5%±25 ME: 48.4% |
| Mount Desert and Brooklin 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% |
7.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.8% ME: 74.3% |
84.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 1 yr older than ME |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 17% below ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
26 minHighest 4% above ME |
| Work from home | 22%±9.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
19.1%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
16.5%±6.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Deer Isle and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Deer Isle-Stonington CSD | Mount Desert Public Schools | Brooklin Public Schools |
| High school in town | Deer Isle-Stonington High Sch | 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 |
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.