Photo: Unknown photographer · Public domainAmong U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Deer Isle is healthier than 60%
Deer Isle differs from Maine on 9 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 8 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 04627, 04650. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Deer Isle
Stroke, heart disease and COPD run high in Deer Isle
1 in 20 adults have had a stroke (4.9%), vs 3.6% across Maine. 1 in 10 adults have heart disease (10.3%), vs 7.6% across Maine. COPD is also above the state: 11.2%, vs 8.4% across Maine. In all, Deer Isle runs above Maine on six of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
More high blood pressure in Deer Isle, and more people treating it
40.5% of adults have high blood pressure (Maine 35.7%), but 80.7% of them take medicine for it, vs 76.4% statewide. Checkups ↓
Deer Isle is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Deer Isle is healthier than 41%. Against the 9,473 towns with similar household incomes ($47K–$78K), it’s healthier than 60%. Health Grade ↓
Written from the CDC, Medicare and HRSA data on this page. CDC PLACES 2025 release: modeled estimates for adults, not counts; “higher” and “lower” mean the Maine figure falls outside Deer Isle’s likely range; Deer Isle’s figures come from ZIP codes 04627, 04650, which may reach past town lines; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to A−.
What’s behind Deer Isle’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Deer Isle is healthier than 41% of U.S. towns. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 81% of U.S. towns); physical distress pulls it down (better than 20%).
Health estimates follow income closely across the country: towns with higher household incomes usually score higher (a correlation of 0.77 across 21,157 graded towns). Deer Isle’s median household income is $62,284; among the 9,473 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($47K–$78K), it’s healthier than 60%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Where Deer Isle compares well: taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure), 80.7% (U.S. 76.5%).
Out of every 100 Deer Isle adults…
Deer Isle runs above ME on 8 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Keeping up with care
Share of Deer Isle adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Maine.
Care in and near Deer Isle
No hospital or community health center in Deer Isle itself. These are the nearest.
Hospitals: Medicare overall star ratings, 1–5. Community health centers charge on a sliding scale by income. Distances are straight-line from the center of Deer Isle; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).
Everyday habits, side by side with Maine
Share of adults, with the Maine figure marked.
21 miles of trails across 23 parks and preserves
How Deer Isle adults are doing
About the same as Maine on each measure.
1 in 3 Deer Isle adults feel lonely. A hello is a start.
Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.
If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
17.4% of Deer Isle adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.3% across Maine.
Deer Isle and the towns around it
Deer Isle’s Health Grade ranks 2nd of 3 graded towns around it.
Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deer Isle | C+ | 30.6% | 13.6% | 16% | ZIP codes |
| Stonington | C+ | 31.7% | 13.7% | 16.9% | ZIP 04681 |
| North Haven | — | — | — | — | |
| Brooksville | — | — | — | — | |
| Brooklin | — | — | — | — | |
| Islesboro | — | — | — | — | |
| Swans Island | — | — | — | — | |
| Sedgwick | B+ | 29.4% | 11.3% | 13% | ZIP codes |
North Haven, Brooksville, Brooklin, Islesboro and Swans Island: fewer than 1,000 residents. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Deer Isle adults live with a disability (Maine 32.1%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Deer Isle
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Deer Isle is better than Maine on 1 and worse on 8; on the rest, the Maine figure falls inside Deer Isle’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Deer Isle | ME | U.S. | vs ME |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 22%17.9–26.2 | 18.7% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.2%13.6–18.7 | 14.3% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.2%14.8–19.5 | 17.7% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 30.6%26.4–35.2 | 32.7% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 13.6%11.5–15.7 | 11.2% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 40.5%37–43.8 | 35.7% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 41.3%38.1–44.5 | 37.4% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 37.1%34–40.2 | 32% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 12.4%11–13.8 | 12.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 12.2%10.9–13.3 | 9.9% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 10.3%8.9–11.9 | 7.6% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 11.2%8.8–13.6 | 8.4% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.9%4.1–5.7 | 3.6% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 13%10.7–15.8 | 14.8% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 16%12.2–19.5 | 14.4% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 25.7%20.9–30.4 | 23.1% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 13.5%11.5–15.7 | 15.5% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 29.2%25.2–33.4 | 32.8% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 9.5%7–12.5 | 7.8% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 83.4%80.8–85.7 | 81.2% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 64.3%60.9–67.6 | 63.8% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 87.5%85.4–89.4 | 87.1% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 80.7%78.2–83 | 76.4% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 72.5%68.4–76.3 | 70.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 80.3%74.6–85 | 80.3% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 25.7%22.8–28.7 | 26.9% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 31.2%27.5–35.4 | 32% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 22%18.7–25.6 | 22.7% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 12.7%9.6–16 | 10.7% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 10.2%8.1–12.4 | 9.8% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 7.7%6.3–9.3 | 7.4% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 8.4%6.9–10 | 7.8% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 17.4%13.3–21.7 | 14.3% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 37.5%32.4–42.3 | 32.1% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 18.3%14.8–21.7 | 14% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 16.9%14.1–19.7 | 15.5% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 11.4%9.8–12.9 | 8.4% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 5.9%4.8–7.1 | 4.4% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.8%8–11.7 | 8.1% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.6%3.8–5.6 | 3.5% | 3.8% | Higher |
Each figure is the share of adults 18+ unless the label says otherwise; small numbers after it are CDC’s likely range (95% interval). “About the same” means the Maine figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Deer Isle
Is Deer Isle a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Deer Isle is healthier than 41% of U.S. towns: ≈ C+ for health. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Deer Isle?
CDC estimates 30.6% of adults have obesity, likely between 26.4% and 35.2%, against 32.7% across Maine and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Deer Isle?
Mainehealth Pen Bay Hospital in Rockport, 15.6 miles in a straight line from Deer Isle’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Deer Isle have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 9.5% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7–12.5%), against 7.8% across Maine.
How accurate are these numbers?
They’re modeled estimates: CDC applies national survey answers to each area’s age, sex, race and education mix, so they describe who lives in Deer Isle more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to A−.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Deer Isle.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Maine figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. The Health Grade is our own summary of CDC’s estimates, not an official rating. Ages: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau. This page isn’t medical advice. In an emergency, call 911.