The Town FilesDeer Isle, Maine
Town in Hancock County · population 2,194 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $308,300
- Household income
- $62,284
- Jan low / Jul high
- 10° / 77°
- Snow a year
- 70 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 2
- Median age
- 52.6
Deer Isle is a town of 2,194 people in Hancock County, Maine. The median home is worth $308,300, above the typical Maine town ($238,950). It ranks more seaside character than 90% of Maine towns, quieter than 87% of Maine towns, better for retirees than 86% of Maine towns.
How Deer Isle ranks
Percentile among Maine towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Maine towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Deer Isle is worth $308,300, above the typical Maine town ($238,950). Homes cost about 4.9 times the median household income of $62,284, which is more affordable than 13% of Maine towns. Median rent is $1,909 a month. 85.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Deer Isle | Typical Maine town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $308,300 | $238,950 |
| Median rent | $1,909 | $1,027 |
| Median household income | $62,284 | $68,967 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.9× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 85.8% | 82.4% |
| Median year built | 1976 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 37.2% | — |
Who lives in Deer Isle
| People | Deer Isle | Typical Maine town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 52.6 | 46.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 24.8% | 22.9% |
| Under 18 | 14.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 35.9% | 28.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 19.1% | 10.7% |
| Veterans | 4.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.8% | — |
| Work from home | 22.0% | 12.3% |
| Average commute | 20.4 min | 25.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 88.9% | 90.0% |
Weather in Deer Isle
July highs average 77.0°F and January lows 10.2°F. About 48.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 70.3 inches of snow (typical Maine town: 77.2 in). Expect about 2 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 162 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Deer Isle since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical Maine town. The strongest, an F1, struck on August 14, 1977 about 7.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 14, 1977.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 3 times; the largest was 1.25 inches on September 24, 2019.
Severe weather in Hancock County since 1996
Hancock County has been included in 24 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, freezing, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| March 20, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4764: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| January 30, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4754: Severe Storm And Flooding |
| September 14, 2023 | Hurricane | EM-3598: Hurricane Lee |
| April 4, 2020 | Biological | DR-4522: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3444: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Hancock County
Hancock County had 23,631 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $53,780 a year. Unemployment was 3.2% in 2023; in Deer Isle itself the ACS puts it at 2.9%.
Public schools in Deer Isle
2 public schools with 318 students, about 9.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deer Isle-Stonington Elementary Sch | K-8 | 228 | 10.9 |
| Deer Isle-Stonington High Sch | 9-12 | 90 | 7.5 |
Towns near Deer Isle
- Islesboro, ME7.1 mi · 583 people · home $288,800
- Brooksville, ME8.5 mi · 935 people · home $390,900
- Stonington, ME9.1 mi · 1,056 people · home $306,700
- Sedgwick, ME11.2 mi · 1,202 people · home $336,200
- Castine, ME11.3 mi · 1,014 people · home $798,800
- Castine, ME12.4 mi · 1,320 people · home $603,500
- Brooklin, ME12.5 mi · 827 people · home $339,400
- Northport, ME13.2 mi · 1,550 people · home $343,400
Deer Isle questions
Is Deer Isle, Maine a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Deer Isle scores better for retirees than 86% of Maine towns and quieter than 87%. 24.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 52.6).
How much does a house cost in Deer Isle?
The median owner-occupied home in Deer Isle is valued at $308,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $62,284, so homes cost about 4.9 times income. Median rent is $1,909 a month.
What is the weather like in Deer Isle?
July highs average 77.0°F and January lows 10.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 48.8 inches of precipitation a year and 70.3 inches of snow.
Does Deer Isle get tornadoes?
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Deer Isle since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on August 14, 1977. The typical Maine town has had 2.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)