Compare towns
Whitefield vs Deer Isle vs Surry
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).
Deer Isle has the most people working from home (22%).
Surry has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.3%).
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 | Deer Isle | Surry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,157 |
2,470Highest |
1,836Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.1% ME: +2.6% |
+11.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 51.9±5.2Lowest 16% above ME |
52.6±5.6Highest 17% above ME |
52.4±5.6 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 | 17.6%±4.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.7%±3.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.6%±3.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Whitefield and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.1%±4.6 ME: 22.4% |
24.8%±3.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
30.9%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Surry and Whitefield 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% |
35.9% ME: 36.2% |
38.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
2%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Whitefield 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 | $73,875±$10k about the ME average |
$62,284±$15kLowest 17% below ME |
$74,508±$12kHighest about the ME average |
| Surry 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 |
$308,300±$42kHighest 4% above ME |
$296,300±$36k about the ME average |
| Deer Isle and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $895±$126Lowest 21% below ME |
$1,909±$927Highest 68% above ME |
$969±$129 15% below 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 | $2,366Highest 22% below ME |
$1,890Lowest 38% below ME |
$1,903 37% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.3%±22.1 ME: 48.4% |
25.4%±17.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
65.8%±59.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Surry and Whitefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.1% ME: 10.7% |
19.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
85.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 23% above ME |
20 minLowest 17% below ME |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
| Work from home | 13.5%±6.8 ME: 15.9% |
22%±9.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.4%±5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Deer Isle and Whitefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | RSU 12 | Deer Isle-Stonington CSD | Surry Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Deer Isle-Stonington High Sch | None in town |
| 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.