Compare towns
Islesboro vs Mapleton vs Wayne 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
Islesboro has the shortest commute (8 min average).
Mapleton has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
Wayne has the most people working from home (26.2%).
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 | Islesboro | Mapleton | Wayne | Deer Isle |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 636Lowest |
1,884 |
1,101 |
2,470Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.1%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 57±8.4Highest 27% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
55.6±5.3 24% above ME |
52.6±5.6 17% 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% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.4%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
14.7%±3.3 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Deer Isle 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% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.2%±3.8 ME: 22.4% |
24.8%±3.3 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% |
34.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
35.9% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.9%±1.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
| Wayne and Mapleton 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 |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$93,194±$26kHighest 25% above ME |
$62,284±$15kLowest 17% below ME |
| Wayne and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $288,800±$140k about the ME average |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$362,800±$29kHighest 22% above ME |
$308,300±$42k 4% 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±$252 18% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$983±$554 14% below ME |
$1,909±$927Highest 68% above 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 |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,289 8% above ME |
$1,890 38% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.8%±85.4Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
25%±52.1 ME: 48.4% |
25.4%±17.9 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% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
7.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
19.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.9% ME: 74.3% |
85.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1976 1 yr older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 8 minLowest 69% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
30 minHighest 24% above ME |
20 min 17% below ME |
| Work from home | 20.3%±8.8 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
26.2%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
22%±9.5 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 | — | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 38 | Deer Isle-Stonington CSD |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town | Deer Isle-Stonington High Sch |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 8.0 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.