Compare towns
Deer Isle vs Surry vs Whitefield
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.3%).
Whitefield has the most affordable homes ($242k 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 | Surry | Whitefield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,470Highest |
1,836Lowest |
2,157 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.1% ME: +2.6% |
+11.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+4.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 52.6±5.6Highest 17% above ME |
52.4±5.6 17% above ME |
51.9±5.2Lowest 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%±3.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.6%±3.7 ME: 18.1% |
17.6%±4.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Whitefield and Surry 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%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
29.1%±4.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Surry and Whitefield 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% |
32.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
2%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Whitefield and Deer Isle 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 |
$74,508±$12kHighest about the ME average |
$73,875±$10k about the ME average |
| Surry and Whitefield 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±$36k about the ME average |
$242,300±$24kLowest 18% below ME |
| Deer Isle and Surry 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 |
$895±$126Lowest 21% 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 | $1,890Lowest 38% below ME |
$1,903 37% below ME |
$2,366Highest 22% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25.4%±17.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
65.8%±59.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±22.1 ME: 48.4% |
| Surry and Whitefield 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% |
7.1% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.6% ME: 74.3% |
91.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 17% below ME |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
| Work from home | 22%±9.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.4%±5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
13.5%±6.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Deer Isle and Whitefield 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 | RSU 12 |
| 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 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.