Compare towns
Shirley vs Union
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Shirley has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Union has the most people working from home (15.9%).
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 | Shirley | Union |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 234Lowest |
2,663Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +5.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42±8.2Highest 6% below ME |
41.6±5.3Lowest 7% below ME |
| Shirley and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Kids under 18 | 16.2%±9.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
24.9%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Union and Shirley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Age 65+ | 26.5%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Shirley and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±5.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Shirley and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $61,875±$22kLowest 17% below ME |
$80,724±$9kHighest 8% above ME |
| Union and Shirley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $219,600±$36kLowest 26% below ME |
$267,600±$42kHighest 10% below ME |
| Union and Shirley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,179±$452 4% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,522Lowest 17% below ME |
$3,276Highest 8% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | — | 24.6%±19.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 17%Highest ME: 10.7% |
10.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 99%Highest ME: 74.3% |
85.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 7 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 17% below ME |
29 minHighest 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 5.3%±4.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||
| School district | — | RSU 40/MSAD 40 |
| High school in town | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in History | 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.