Compare towns
Cooper vs Mapleton vs Unity vs Meddybemps
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 most homeowners (95%).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Unity has the youngest population (median age 27.5).
Meddybemps has the most expensive homes ($295k median).
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 | Unity | Meddybemps |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 157 |
1,884Highest |
1,858 |
139Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 46.5±9.1 4% above ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
63.9±4.2Highest 43% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 16.6%±17 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
5%±21.5Lowest 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% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
39.6%±15.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Meddybemps 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% |
22.1% ME: 36.2% |
14.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±9.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
5%±10.1 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $48,750±$15k 35% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
$48,000±$13kLowest 36% 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 |
$206,900±$28k 30% below ME |
$295,000±$73kHighest about the ME average |
| Meddybemps 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 |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$2,510Highest 17% below ME |
$1,206Lowest 60% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | — | 16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Meddybemps and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 20.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
17.3% ME: 10.7% |
7.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
87.1% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest same as ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 44 minHighest 78% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
31 min 28% above ME |
| Work from home | 13.5%±11 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
5.4%±7.8Lowest 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.