Compare towns
Phippsburg vs Appleton vs Deer Isle vs Surry
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Phippsburg has the highest household income ($108k).
Appleton has the most affordable homes ($236k median).
Deer Isle has the most people working from home (22%).
Surry has the most kids (16.6% under 18).
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 | Phippsburg | Appleton | Deer Isle | Surry |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,238 |
1,360Lowest |
2,470Highest |
1,836 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2% ME: +2.6% |
+11.1% ME: +2.6% |
+11.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 54.3±6.3Highest 21% above ME |
49.2±7.4Lowest 10% above ME |
52.6±5.6 17% above ME |
52.4±5.6 17% above ME |
| Phippsburg and Deer Isle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 11.5%±3.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
14.7%±3.3 ME: 18.1% |
16.6%±3.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Surry and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 34.4%±3.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
24.8%±3.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
30.9%±3.8 ME: 22.4% |
| Phippsburg and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.7% ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
35.9% ME: 36.2% |
38.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
2%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Appleton 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 | $107,833±$19kHighest 44% above ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$62,284±$15k 17% below ME |
$74,508±$12k about the ME average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $335,800±$47kHighest 13% above ME |
$235,600±$33kLowest 21% below ME |
$308,300±$42k 4% above ME |
$296,300±$36k about the ME average |
| Phippsburg and Deer Isle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,022±$346 10% below ME |
$1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$1,909±$927Highest 68% above ME |
$969±$129Lowest 15% below ME |
| Deer Isle and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,034 33% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$1,890Lowest 38% below ME |
$1,903 37% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 35.5%±98.7 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
25.4%±17.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
65.8%±59.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.5% ME: 10.7% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
19.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
85.8% ME: 74.3% |
88.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
1987 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 13% below ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
20 minLowest 17% below ME |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.7%±4.7 ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
22%±9.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.4%±5 ME: 15.9% |
| Deer Isle and Phippsburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Appleton Public Schools | Deer Isle-Stonington CSD | Surry Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Deer Isle-Stonington High Sch | None in town |
| 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.