Compare towns
Cooper vs Hope vs Shirley
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cooper has the oldest population (median age 46.5).
Hope has the most expensive homes ($373k median).
Shirley has the youngest population (median age 42).
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 | Cooper | Hope | Shirley |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 157Lowest |
1,748Highest |
234 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +10.5% ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 46.5±9.1Highest 4% above ME |
44.6±3.1 about the ME average |
42±8.2Lowest 6% below ME |
| Cooper and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.6%±17 ME: 18.1% |
23.3%±5.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.2%±9.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Hope and Cooper are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.9%±14 ME: 22.4% |
21.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.5%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Shirley and Cooper are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
47.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
30.6% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±9.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.3%±5.1 ME: 5.8% |
| Cooper and Shirley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $48,750±$15kLowest 35% below ME |
$86,766±$6kHighest 16% above ME |
$61,875±$22k 17% below ME |
| Hope and Shirley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $212,500±$66kLowest 28% below ME |
$373,400±$33kHighest 26% above ME |
$219,600±$36k 26% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,219±$182 7% above ME |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,929Lowest 36% below ME |
$3,842Highest 27% above ME |
$2,522 17% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | — | 37.8%±38.7 ME: 48.4% |
— |
| Below poverty line | 20.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95% ME: 74.3% |
92.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
99%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest same as ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 44 minHighest 78% above ME |
20 minLowest 19% below ME |
21 min 17% below ME |
| Work from home | 13.5%±11 ME: 15.9% |
18.3%±10.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
5.3%±4.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Hope and Cooper are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | Hope Public Schools | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.