Compare towns
Islesboro vs Upton vs Deer Isle
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Islesboro has the shortest commute (8 min average).
Upton has the most expensive homes ($577k median).
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 | Upton | Deer Isle |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 636Lowest |
8,189Highest |
2,470 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 57±8.4Highest 47% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8Lowest 19% above U.S. |
52.6±5.6 35% above U.S. |
| Islesboro and Deer Isle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 11.2%±6.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 40.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.8%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.9%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.5%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Deer Isle and Upton 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 10% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$62,284±$15kLowest 23% below U.S. |
| Upton 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 13% below U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$308,300±$42k 7% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $938±$252Lowest 34% below U.S. |
$948±$599 33% below U.S. |
$1,909±$927Highest 35% above U.S. |
| Deer Isle and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,300 38% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$1,890Lowest 39% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.8%±85.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
25.4%±17.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Upton and Islesboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 15.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
19.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 8 minLowest 71% below U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
20 min 23% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 20.3%±8.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22%±9.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Upton 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 | — | #46 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | — | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Deer Isle-Stonington CSD |
| High school in town | — | Blackstone Valley | Deer Isle-Stonington High Sch |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2Highest |
8.0Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.