Compare towns
Cooper vs Sebec 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 affordable homes ($213k median).
Sebec has the most kids (21.8% under 18).
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 | Sebec | Shirley |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 157Lowest |
547Highest |
234 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +5.6% ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 46.5±9.1 4% above ME |
49.3±7.6Highest 10% above ME |
42±8.2Lowest 6% below ME |
| Sebec and Cooper 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% |
21.8%±5.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.2%±9.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Sebec 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% |
20.7%±2.9Lowest 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% |
32%Highest ME: 36.2% |
30.6% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±9.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±3.6Lowest 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 |
$74,545±$37kHighest about the ME average |
$61,875±$22k 17% below ME |
| Sebec 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 |
$233,000±$40kHighest 21% below ME |
$219,600±$36k 26% below ME |
| Sebec 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 |
$1,810Lowest 40% below ME |
$2,522Highest 17% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | — | 0%±100 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%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
97.6% 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 |
30 min 22% above ME |
21 minLowest 17% below ME |
| Work from home | 13.5%±11Highest ME: 15.9% |
13.2%±10.6 ME: 15.9% |
5.3%±4.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Cooper and Sebec 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.