Compare towns
Dyer Brook vs Mapleton 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 affordable homes ($135k median).
Mapleton has the most people working from home (10.8%).
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 | Dyer Brook | Mapleton | Shirley |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 275 |
1,884Highest |
234Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -3.2% ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 38.7±11.8Lowest 14% below ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
42±8.2Highest 6% below ME |
| Shirley and Mapleton 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% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
16.2%±9.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Dyer Brook and Mapleton 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% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
26.5%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Shirley and Mapleton 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% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
30.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.5%±6.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
4.3%±5.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Dyer Brook and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $73,409±$27k about the ME average |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$61,875±$22kLowest 17% below ME |
| Mapleton and Dyer Brook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $135,000±$51kLowest 54% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$219,600±$36kHighest 26% below ME |
| Shirley and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $610±$277 46% below ME |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,606Lowest 47% below ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$2,522Highest 17% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
— |
| Dyer Brook and Mapleton 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% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
17%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.1% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
99%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min about the ME average |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
21 minLowest 17% below ME |
| Work from home | 8.4%±6.1 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
5.3%±4.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Mapleton and Dyer Brook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — |
| 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.