Grand Isle, Maine Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 243, Grand Isle's ACS estimates come from a small number of survey responses and carry wide margins of error. Individual percentages below — particularly rates that round to 0% or 100% — are approximations, not precise measurements. See data.census.gov for the published margins of error.

Population Overview

Grand Isle is a small community located in Maine, within Aroostook County. The total population is 243. It ranks as the 151st most populous out of 155 Census-designated places in Maine.

Age Demographics

The median age in Grand Isle is 61.3 years. This is 37% higher than the state median of 44.8 years. Only 8.2% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children. 13.6% of residents are 75 or older, suggesting a significant retirement-age population with implications for healthcare services and senior housing.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Grand Isle is $35,156. This is 53% lower than the state median of $74,733. It is also 56% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 21.8%. This is 103% higher than the state poverty rate of 10.8%. With more than one in five residents living below the poverty line, economic hardship is a significant challenge for the community. The unemployment rate is 20.9%. This is 454% higher than the state rate of 3.8%. The median home value is $82,200. Housing costs are 72% lower than the state median of $296,600. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.3x, Grand Isle is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 67.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 9% lower than the state average of 74.3%.

Race & Ethnicity

Every resident counted in Grand Isle was recorded as White (non-Hispanic). A figure of exactly 99.2% reflects a survey sample too small to capture the community's full composition rather than a precise measurement.

Education

12.4% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is among the lowest rates in the state, which may correlate with employment and income patterns. This is 66% lower than the state rate of 36.2%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 90.0%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Grand Isle, Maine is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against Maine state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 155 Census-designated places in Maine. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.