Compare towns
Cooper vs Mapleton vs Shirley vs Unity
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).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Shirley has the most homeowners (99%).
Unity has the youngest population (median age 27.5).
Unity is a college town. 30% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Mapleton | Shirley | Unity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 157Lowest |
1,884Highest |
234 |
1,858 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
— | +9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.5±9.1Highest 4% above ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
42±8.2 6% below ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
| Cooper and Shirley 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% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.2%±9.2 ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton 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% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
26.5%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest 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% ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
30.6% ME: 36.2% |
22.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±9.8 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
4.3%±5.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $48,750±$15kLowest 35% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$61,875±$22k 17% below ME |
$62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
| Mapleton and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $212,500±$66k 28% below ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$219,600±$36kHighest 26% below ME |
$206,900±$28k 30% below ME |
| Shirley and Cooper are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
— | $873±$73Highest 23% below ME |
| Unity and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,929 36% below ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$2,522Highest 17% below ME |
$2,510 17% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | — | 16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
— | 44.8%±13Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 20.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17% ME: 10.7% |
17.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95% ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
99%Highest ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest same as ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1984Highest 7 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 44 minHighest 78% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
21 minLowest 17% below ME |
21 min 14% below ME |
| Work from home | 13.5%±11 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
5.3%±4.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Unity and Cooper are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | — | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — | Ecology Learning Ctr |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 12.4 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.