Compare towns
Surry vs Windsor 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).
Windsor has the most kids (23.2% under 18).
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 | Windsor | Deer Isle |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,836Lowest |
2,690Highest |
2,470 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.1% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 52.4±5.6 17% above ME |
43.5±8Lowest about the ME average |
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% |
23.2%±6.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.7%±3.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Windsor 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% |
14.3%±4.4Lowest 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% |
21%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
35.9% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±1.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Deer Isle and Surry 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 |
$63,178±$5k 15% below ME |
$62,284±$15kLowest 17% below ME |
| Surry and Windsor 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 |
$228,800±$22kLowest 23% 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±$129Lowest 15% below ME |
$1,265±$400 11% above ME |
$1,909±$927Highest 68% above ME |
| Deer Isle and Windsor 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 |
$2,160Highest 29% below ME |
$1,890Lowest 38% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.8%±59.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
46.2%±31.6 ME: 48.4% |
25.4%±17.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Surry and Windsor 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% |
7.5% ME: 10.7% |
19.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.6% ME: 74.3% |
89.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
85.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 26% above ME |
36 minHighest 45% above ME |
20 minLowest 17% below ME |
| Work from home | 11.4%±5 ME: 15.9% |
6.5%±3Lowest 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 | — | #44 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Surry Public Schools | RSU 12 | 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 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.