Compare towns
Surry vs Jay 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).
Jay has the most affordable homes ($169k 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 | Jay | Deer Isle |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,836Lowest |
4,657Highest |
2,470 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-4.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.1% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 52.4±5.6 17% above ME |
39.5±5.1Lowest 12% below 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%±3.7 ME: 18.1% |
17.5%±5.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.7%±3.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Jay and Surry 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% |
19.3%±4.7Lowest 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%Highest ME: 36.2% |
29.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
35.9% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±3.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
| Jay 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 | $74,508±$12kHighest about the ME average |
$70,238±$19k 6% below ME |
$62,284±$15kLowest 17% below ME |
| Surry and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $296,300±$36k about the ME average |
$168,600±$27kLowest 43% below ME |
$308,300±$42kHighest 4% above ME |
| Deer Isle and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $969±$129 15% below ME |
$759±$141Lowest 33% below ME |
$1,909±$927Highest 68% above ME |
| Deer Isle and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,903 37% below ME |
$2,245Highest 26% below ME |
$1,890Lowest 38% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.8%±59.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
27.2%±28.8 ME: 48.4% |
25.4%±17.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Surry and Jay 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% |
9.8% ME: 10.7% |
19.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.7%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 |
21 min 13% below ME |
20 minLowest 17% below ME |
| Work from home | 11.4%±5 ME: 15.9% |
4.8%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
22%±9.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Deer Isle and Surry 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 | — | #86 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Surry Public Schools | RSU 73 | Deer Isle-Stonington CSD |
| High school in town | None in town | Spruce Mountain High School | Deer Isle-Stonington High Sch |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.7Highest |
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.