Compare towns
Deer Isle vs Surry vs Stonington
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 most people working from home (22%).
Surry has the highest household income ($75k).
Stonington has the shortest commute (16 min average).
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 | Surry | Stonington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,470Highest |
1,836 |
840Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.1% ME: +2.6% |
+11.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+1.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 52.6±5.6 17% above ME |
52.4±5.6Lowest 17% above ME |
58.2±7.4Highest 30% above ME |
| Stonington 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% |
16.6%±3.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
10.1%±4.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Surry and Deer Isle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.8%±3.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
30.9%±3.8 ME: 22.4% |
38.5%±4.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Stonington and Surry 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% |
38.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
28.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±1.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
2%±1 ME: 5.8% |
0.4%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Deer Isle and Surry 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 |
$74,508±$12kHighest about the ME average |
$60,223±$16kLowest 19% below ME |
| Surry 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±$42kHighest 4% above ME |
$296,300±$36kLowest about the ME average |
$306,700±$146k 3% above ME |
| Deer Isle and Stonington 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 |
$969±$129 15% below ME |
$823±$172Lowest 28% below ME |
| Deer Isle and Surry 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 |
$1,903Highest 37% below ME |
$1,819Lowest 40% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25.4%±17.9 ME: 48.4% |
65.8%±59.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
20.8%±18.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Surry 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 ME: 10.7% |
7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.8% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.8% ME: 74.3% |
88.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
77.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 1 yr older than ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 17% below ME |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
16 minLowest 36% below ME |
| Work from home | 22%±9.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.4%±5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
21.1%±12.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Deer Isle and Stonington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Deer Isle-Stonington CSD | Surry Public Schools | — |
| High school in town | Deer Isle-Stonington High Sch | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.0 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.