What stands out worked out from the figures below

Minot has the most people working from home (16.8%).

Shapleigh has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.5%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Minot	Shapleigh
People
Population	2,794Lowest	2,976Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6.1%Lowest ME: +2.6%	+9.5%Highest ME: +2.6%
Median age	49±6.1Highest 9% above ME	46.9±10Lowest 5% above ME
	Minot and Shapleigh are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	16.4%±4.4Lowest ME: 18.1%	20.7%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1%
	Shapleigh and Minot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	21.3%±4.2Lowest ME: 22.4%	24.1%±4.8Highest ME: 22.4%
	Shapleigh and Minot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	25.9%Lowest ME: 36.2%	29.7%Highest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.1%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8%	2.8%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8%
	Minot and Shapleigh are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$95,655±$17kHighest 28% above ME	$88,140±$9kLowest 18% above ME
	Minot and Shapleigh are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$294,900±$26kLowest about the ME average	$356,000±$21kHighest 20% above ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$878±$801Lowest 23% below ME	$1,349±$133Highest 18% above ME
	Shapleigh and Minot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$2,602Lowest 14% below ME	$2,603Highest 14% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	35.7%±40.7Highest ME: 48.4%	27.3%±61.5Lowest ME: 48.4%
	Minot and Shapleigh are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.2%Highest ME: 10.7%	5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	96%Highest ME: 74.3%	95.4%Lowest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1994Highest 17 yrs newer than ME	1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	25 minLowest about the ME average	33 minHighest 32% above ME
Work from home	16.8%±5.7Highest ME: 15.9%	13%±6.5Lowest ME: 15.9%
	Minot and Shapleigh are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#78 of 133 in ME	#76 of 133 in ME
School district	RSU 16	RSU 57/MSAD 57
High school in town	None in town	None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.