Compare towns
Islesboro vs Deer Isle vs Wayne
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Islesboro has the shortest commute (8 min average).
Deer Isle has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.1%).
Wayne has the most people working from home (26.2%).
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 | Islesboro | Deer Isle | Wayne |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 636Lowest |
2,470Highest |
1,101 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3% ME: +2.6% |
+11.1%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 57±8.4Highest 27% above ME |
52.6±5.6Lowest 17% above ME |
55.6±5.3 24% above ME |
| Islesboro and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 11.2%±6.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
14.7%±3.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.4%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
| Deer Isle and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 40.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
24.8%±3.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.2%±3.8 ME: 22.4% |
| Islesboro and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.8% ME: 36.2% |
35.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.9%±1.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Wayne 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 | $88,438±$44k 18% above ME |
$62,284±$15kLowest 17% below ME |
$93,194±$26kHighest 25% above ME |
| Wayne and Islesboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $288,800±$140kLowest about the ME average |
$308,300±$42k 4% above ME |
$362,800±$29kHighest 22% above ME |
| Wayne and Deer Isle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $938±$252Lowest 18% below ME |
$1,909±$927Highest 68% above ME |
$983±$554 14% below ME |
| Deer Isle and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,300Highest 42% above ME |
$1,890Lowest 38% below ME |
$3,289 8% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.8%±85.4Highest ME: 48.4% |
25.4%±17.9 ME: 48.4% |
25%±52.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Islesboro and Deer Isle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 15.1% ME: 10.7% |
19.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
85.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
1976 1 yr older than ME |
1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 8 minLowest 69% below ME |
20 min 17% below ME |
30 minHighest 24% above ME |
| Work from home | 20.3%±8.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
22%±9.5 ME: 15.9% |
26.2%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Wayne and Deer Isle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | Deer Isle-Stonington CSD | RSU 38 |
| 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.