Compare towns
Cooper vs Shirley 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 people working from home (13.5%).
Shirley has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Meddybemps has the oldest population (median age 63.9).
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 | Shirley | Meddybemps |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 157 |
234Highest |
139Lowest |
| Median age | 46.5±9.1 4% above ME |
42±8.2Lowest 6% below ME |
63.9±4.2Highest 43% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 16.6%±17Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.2%±9.2 ME: 18.1% |
5%±21.5Lowest 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% |
26.5%±10.1 ME: 22.4% |
39.6%±15.4Highest 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% |
30.6%Highest ME: 36.2% |
14.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±9.8 ME: 5.8% |
4.3%±5.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±10.1Highest 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 |
$61,875±$22kHighest 17% below ME |
$48,000±$13kLowest 36% 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 |
$219,600±$36k 26% below ME |
$295,000±$73kHighest about the ME average |
| 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 |
$2,522Highest 17% below ME |
$1,206Lowest 60% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | — | — | 100%±100 ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 20.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
17% ME: 10.7% |
7.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95% ME: 74.3% |
99%Highest ME: 74.3% |
87.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest same as ME |
1984Highest 7 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 44 minHighest 78% above ME |
21 minLowest 17% below ME |
31 min 28% above ME |
| Work from home | 13.5%±11Highest ME: 15.9% |
5.3%±4.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
5.4%±7.8 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.