Compare towns
Cooper vs Meddybemps 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 most people working from home (13.5%).
Meddybemps has the oldest population (median age 63.9).
Shirley has the shortest commute (21 min average).
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 | Meddybemps | Shirley |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 157 |
139Lowest |
234Highest |
| Median age | 46.5±9.1 4% above ME |
63.9±4.2Highest 43% above ME |
42±8.2Lowest 6% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 16.6%±17Highest ME: 18.1% |
5%±21.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.2%±9.2 ME: 18.1% |
| Cooper and Shirley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.9%±14Lowest ME: 22.4% |
39.6%±15.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
26.5%±10.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Meddybemps and Shirley 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% |
14.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
30.6%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±9.8 ME: 5.8% |
5%±10.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.3%±5.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Meddybemps and Cooper are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $48,750±$15k 35% below ME |
$48,000±$13kLowest 36% below ME |
$61,875±$22kHighest 17% below ME |
| Shirley and Cooper 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 |
$295,000±$73kHighest about the ME average |
$219,600±$36k 26% below ME |
| Meddybemps and Shirley 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 |
$1,206Lowest 60% below ME |
$2,522Highest 17% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | — | 100%±100 ME: 48.4% |
— |
| Below poverty line | 20.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95% ME: 74.3% |
87.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
99%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest same as ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1984Highest 7 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 44 minHighest 78% above ME |
31 min 28% above ME |
21 minLowest 17% below ME |
| Work from home | 13.5%±11Highest ME: 15.9% |
5.4%±7.8 ME: 15.9% |
5.3%±4.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Cooper and Meddybemps are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| 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.