Compare towns
Dyer Brook vs Danforth vs Shirley
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dyer Brook has the most people working from home (8.4%).
Danforth has the most affordable homes ($85k median).
Shirley has the most expensive homes ($220k median).
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 | Dyer Brook | Danforth | Shirley |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 275 |
452Highest |
234Lowest |
| Median age | 38.7±11.8Lowest 14% below ME |
51.9±5.3Highest 16% above ME |
42±8.2 6% below ME |
| Danforth and Shirley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 24.4%±11Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.8%±6.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.2%±9.2 ME: 18.1% |
| Dyer Brook and Shirley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 12.4%±8.8Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22.6%±5.8 ME: 22.4% |
26.5%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Shirley and Danforth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
4.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
30.6% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.5%±6.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.4%±2.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.3%±5.1 ME: 5.8% |
| Dyer Brook and Shirley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $73,409±$27kHighest about the ME average |
$42,264±$11kLowest 43% below ME |
$61,875±$22k 17% below ME |
| Dyer Brook and Shirley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $135,000±$51k 54% below ME |
$85,200±$20kLowest 71% below ME |
$219,600±$36kHighest 26% below ME |
| Shirley and Dyer Brook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $629±$22 45% below ME |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,606Lowest 47% below ME |
— | $2,522Highest 17% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
11.5%±71.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
— |
| Dyer Brook and Danforth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
12% ME: 10.7% |
17%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.1% ME: 74.3% |
79.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
99%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1981Lowest 4 yrs newer than ME |
1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min about the ME average |
27 minHighest 9% above ME |
21 minLowest 17% below ME |
| Work from home | 8.4%±6.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
3%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
5.3%±4.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Dyer Brook and Shirley 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.