Compare towns
Harrison vs Gray 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
Harrison has the most affordable homes ($249k median).
Gray has the highest household income ($95k).
Deer Isle has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.1%).
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 | Harrison | Gray | Deer Isle |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,513 |
8,429Highest |
2,470Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -10.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.5% ME: +2.6% |
+11.1%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 56±3.6Highest 25% above ME |
43.4±4.5Lowest 3% below ME |
52.6±5.6 17% above ME |
| Harrison and Deer Isle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 9.1%±3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.7%±3.3 ME: 18.1% |
| Gray and Deer Isle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.8%±7.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
24.8%±3.3 ME: 22.4% |
| Harrison 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+ | 30.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
35.9% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Gray and Harrison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $56,938±$6kLowest 24% below ME |
$95,236±$8kHighest 27% above ME |
$62,284±$15k 17% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $249,300±$70kLowest 16% below ME |
$363,700±$20kHighest 23% above ME |
$308,300±$42k 4% above ME |
| Gray and Deer Isle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $885±$193Lowest 22% below ME |
$1,371±$89 20% above ME |
$1,909±$927Highest 68% above ME |
| Deer Isle and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,731 10% below ME |
$3,683Highest 21% above ME |
$1,890Lowest 38% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.5%±24.4 ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
25.4%±17.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Gray and Harrison 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% |
3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
19.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 24% above ME |
29 min 16% above ME |
20 minLowest 17% below ME |
| Work from home | 22.3%±9.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
22%±9.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Harrison and Deer Isle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #10 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 17/MSAD 17 | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Deer Isle-Stonington CSD |
| High school in town | None in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Deer Isle-Stonington High Sch |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.5Highest |
8.0Lowest |
| 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.