Compare towns
Phippsburg vs Brewer 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
Phippsburg has the highest household income ($108k).
Brewer has the most kids (20.9% under 18).
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 | Phippsburg | Brewer | Deer Isle |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,238Lowest |
9,652Highest |
2,470 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2% ME: +2.6% |
+11.1%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 54.3±6.3Highest 21% above ME |
40.1±4.8Lowest 10% below ME |
52.6±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% |
20.9%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.7%±3.3 ME: 18.1% |
| Brewer and Deer Isle 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% |
22.4%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
24.8%±3.3 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
35%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
35.9% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
7.7%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $107,833±$19kHighest 44% above ME |
$66,613±$9k 11% below ME |
$62,284±$15kLowest 17% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $335,800±$47kHighest 13% above ME |
$245,300±$21kLowest 17% below ME |
$308,300±$42k 4% above ME |
| 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±$346Lowest 10% below ME |
$1,086±$54 5% below ME |
$1,909±$927Highest 68% above ME |
| Deer Isle and Brewer 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 |
$3,374Highest 11% above ME |
$1,890Lowest 38% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 35.5%±98.7 ME: 48.4% |
55.7%±13.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
25.4%±17.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Brewer and Phippsburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
12.5% ME: 10.7% |
19.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.8% ME: 74.3% |
59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 7 yrs newer than ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1976 1 yr older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minHighest 13% below ME |
17 minLowest 31% below ME |
20 min 17% below ME |
| Work from home | 11.7%±4.7 ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
22%±9.5Highest 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 | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #32 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Brewer Public Schools | Deer Isle-Stonington CSD |
| High school in town | None in town | Brewer High School | Deer Isle-Stonington High Sch |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.0Highest |
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.