Compare towns
Ellsworth vs Deer Isle
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ellsworth has the most kids (18.4% under 18).
Deer Isle has the most people working from home (22%).
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 | Ellsworth | Deer Isle |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 8,657Highest |
2,470Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.1%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43±2.4Lowest 4% below ME |
52.6±5.6Highest 17% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 18.4%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.7%±3.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Ellsworth and Deer Isle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Age 65+ | 22.1%±3.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
24.8%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Deer Isle and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
35.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Ellsworth 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 | $77,375±$18kHighest 4% above ME |
$62,284±$15kLowest 17% below ME |
| Ellsworth and Deer Isle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $242,300±$22kLowest 18% below ME |
$308,300±$42kHighest 4% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,017±$195Lowest 11% below ME |
$1,909±$927Highest 68% above ME |
| Deer Isle and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,262Highest 7% above ME |
$1,890Lowest 38% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.1%±15.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
25.4%±17.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 9.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
19.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minHighest about the ME average |
20 minLowest 17% below ME |
| Work from home | 7.1%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
22%±9.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #63 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Ellsworth Public Schools | Deer Isle-Stonington CSD |
| High school in town | Ellsworth High School | Deer Isle-Stonington High Sch |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
8.0Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.