Town · Maine
Islesboro, Maine
Islesboro, town, in Waldo County, Maine. Islesboro had 596 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 2.8% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 583 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 636 (±171). GEOID 2302735240.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
596
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 583 · ACS 2020-2024: 636 ±171
Median household income
$88,438
±$44,276 (90% margin)
Maine: $74,733
Median home value
$288,800
±$140,087 (90% margin)
Maine: $296,600
Median gross rent
$938
±$252 (90% margin)
Maine: $1,139
Where is Islesboro and what county is it in?
Islesboro is a town in Waldo County, Maine. It covers 14.6 square miles of land, 40 residents per square mile in 2020.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Islesboro, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 596 people lived in Islesboro on July 1, 2025, up 2.8% since 2020, slower than Maine (+3.8%). The 2020 Census counted 583 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 636 (±171).
| Measure | Islesboro | Waldo County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 636±171 | 40,192 | no clear change |
| Households | 330±100 | 17,470 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 1.90±0.33 | 2.25 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 701±121 | 22,252 | no clear change |
Islesboro's population since 2000
From 603 in 2000 to 596 in 2025: down 1.2%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Islesboro as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Islesboro?
The median resident of Islesboro is 57.0 years old; 11.2% are under 18 and 40.6% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 95.8%, then non-Hispanic residents of two or more races at 3.0%.
| Measure | Islesboro | Waldo County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 57.0±8.4 | 47.4 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 11.2%±7.2 pts | 17.7% | – |
| 65 years and over | 40.6%±12.6 pts | 25.1% | – |
| Male | 51.1%±8.0 pts | 49.6% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 0.6%±0.8 pts | 1.6% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 95.8%±3.6 pts | 92.8% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±4.2 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±4.2 pts | 0.5% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±4.2 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±4.2 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 3.0%±3.0 pts | 4.0% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.6%±0.9 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 2.0%±2.5 pts | 2.3% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 2.2%±2.2 pts | 4.4% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 3.0%±1.9 pts | 7.6% | – |
| With a disability | 16.8%±12.5 pts | 16.8% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 10.7%±5.4 pts | 9.2% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 96.7%±3.2 pts | 93.6% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 47.8%±12.2 pts | 34.4% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 28.6%±9.3 pts | 14.4% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 92.0%±5.6 pts | 91.3% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 5.5%±4.8 pts | 2.4% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Islesboro earn?
Half of Islesboro's 330 households earn less than $88,438 a year (±$44,276), against $72,782 in Waldo County and $74,733 in Maine. In 2015-2019 it was $78,115 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart.
| Measure | Islesboro | Waldo County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $88,438±$44,276 | $72,782 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $116,250±$42,739 | $91,541 | – |
| Per capita income | $61,249±$18,947 | $40,336 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 15.1%±12.2 pts | 12.0% | – |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 7.0%±9.4 pts | 15.1% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 0.0%±8.0 pts | 12.5% | – |
| Households with a computer | 97.9%±3.5 pts | 93.9% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 99.1%±1.4 pts | 89.5% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Islesboro?
Owners occupy 91.8% of Islesboro's occupied homes and renters 8.2%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $288,800 by its owner (±$140,087). The median renter pays $938 a month including utilities.
| Measure | Islesboro | Waldo County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $288,800±$140,087 | $257,700 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $938±$252 | $1,021 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 0.0%±53.5 pts | 33.5% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,947±$190 | $1,542 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 91.8%±6.4 pts | 81.9% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 8.2%±6.4 pts | 18.1% | – |
| Housing units | 701±121 | 22,252 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0%±8.7 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0%±52.5 pts | 7.7% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 95.7%±2.9 pts | 75.0% | – |
| Mobile homes | 3.9%±2.9 pts | 13.1% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.3%±0.4 pts | 2.0% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 11.3%±10.2 pts | 8.3% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 37.5%±8.0 pts | 21.6% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 3.9%±4.7 pts | 5.8% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Islesboro building?
Builders took permits for 0 new housing units in Islesboro in 2025 (0 in single-family houses), 0.0 per 1,000 residents against 4.9 across Maine.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Islesboro work and get to work?
49.2% of Islesboro's workers drive alone and 20.3% work from home. The average trip to work takes 7.6 minutes.
| Measure | Islesboro | Waldo County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 56.5%±10.7 pts | 58.1% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 14.3%±11.1 pts | 3.7% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 49.2%±12.0 pts | 72.0% | – |
| Carpooled | 20.7%±12.0 pts | 7.8% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0%±9.8 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Walked | 8.6%±8.8 pts | 3.3% | – |
| Worked from home | 20.3%±9.5 pts | 15.6% | no clear change |
| Mean travel time to work | 7.6 min±1.9 | 26.6 min | −12.6 min |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Islesboro?
No census tract lies mostly in Islesboro; 1 tract reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 440Waldo County | 4,653 | $80,853 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Islesboro) · Census block assignment files
How does Islesboro compare with other places in Maine?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Islesboro is the 9,510th-most populous of the 16,079 U.S. towns and townships that have one and the 316th-most populous of 454 in Maine.
Islesboro is not ranked by income or the other survey measures: those rankings include places of 1,000 or more residents (2020 Census) with a reliable estimate.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 316th | 454 |
Islesboro's figures with every place in Maine (CSV)
Every place in Maine, sortable · Compare Islesboro with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Islesboro?
25 of the 57 figures for Islesboro on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Islesboro are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' school search.