Compare towns
Whitefield vs Cushing 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
Whitefield has the most affordable homes ($242k median).
Cushing has the most expensive homes ($410k median).
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 | Whitefield | Cushing | Deer Isle |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,157 |
1,460Lowest |
2,470Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.7% ME: +2.6% |
-2.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.1%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 51.9±5.2 16% above ME |
48.8±7.7Lowest 9% above ME |
52.6±5.6Highest 17% above ME |
| Deer Isle and Whitefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.6%±4.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4 ME: 18.1% |
14.7%±3.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Whitefield and Cushing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.1%±4.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
20.5%±0.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
24.8%±3.3 ME: 22.4% |
| Whitefield 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+ | 32.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
38.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
35.9% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Whitefield and Cushing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $73,875±$10k about the ME average |
$83,500±$19kHighest 12% above ME |
$62,284±$15kLowest 17% below ME |
| Cushing and Whitefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $242,300±$24kLowest 18% below ME |
$409,800±$44kHighest 38% above ME |
$308,300±$42k 4% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $895±$126Lowest 21% below ME |
$1,553±$376 36% above ME |
$1,909±$927Highest 68% above ME |
| Deer Isle and Cushing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,366 22% below ME |
$3,944Highest 30% above ME |
$1,890Lowest 38% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.3%±22.1 ME: 48.4% |
33.7%±19.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
25.4%±17.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Cushing and Whitefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.7% ME: 10.7% |
19.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 23% above ME |
23 min 5% below ME |
20 minLowest 17% below ME |
| Work from home | 13.5%±6.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±6.3 ME: 15.9% |
22%±9.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Deer Isle and Cushing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | RSU 12 | RSU 13 | 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.