Compare towns
Surry vs Brooklin 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
Surry has the highest household income ($75k).
Brooklin has the most expensive homes ($339k median).
Deer Isle has the most people working from home (22%).
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 | Surry | Brooklin | Deer Isle |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,836 |
869Lowest |
2,470Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+0.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.1% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 52.4±5.6 17% above ME |
49.2±3.7Lowest 10% above ME |
52.6±5.6Highest 17% above ME |
| Deer Isle and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.6%±3.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.3%±4.2 ME: 18.1% |
14.7%±3.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Surry and Brooklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 30.9%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
24.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
24.8%±3.3 ME: 22.4% |
| Surry and Deer Isle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 38.1% ME: 36.2% |
41.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
35.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
7.2%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $74,508±$12kHighest about the ME average |
$68,750±$8k 8% below ME |
$62,284±$15kLowest 17% below ME |
| Surry and Brooklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $296,300±$36kLowest about the ME average |
$339,400±$90kHighest 14% above ME |
$308,300±$42k 4% above ME |
| Brooklin and Deer Isle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $969±$129Lowest 15% below ME |
$1,236±$137 9% above ME |
$1,909±$927Highest 68% above ME |
| Deer Isle and Brooklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,903Highest 37% below ME |
$1,792Lowest 41% below ME |
$1,890 38% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.8%±59.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
29.5%±25 ME: 48.4% |
25.4%±17.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Surry and Brooklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.7% ME: 10.7% |
19.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 26% above ME |
26 min 4% above ME |
20 minLowest 17% below ME |
| Work from home | 11.4%±5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
16.5%±6.8 ME: 15.9% |
22%±9.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Deer Isle and Brooklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Surry Public Schools | Brooklin Public Schools | 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 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.