The Town FilesShapleigh, Maine
Town in York County · population 2,921 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $356,000
- Household income
- $88,140
- Jan low / Jul high
- 10° / 81°
- Snow a year
- 75 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 5
- Median age
- 46.9
Shapleigh is a town of 2,921 people in York County, Maine. The median home is worth $356,000, above the typical Maine town ($238,950). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 94% of Maine towns, quieter than 93% of Maine towns, better for families than 87% of Maine towns.
- #2 in The 10 Best Small Towns for Young Families in Maine
- #4 in The 25 Quietest Small Towns in Maine
- #10 in The 50 Best Small Towns for Young Families in America
- #10 in The 50 Best Places for Young Families in America
- #17 in The 25 Best Small Towns for First-Time Home Buyers in Maine
- #32 in The 50 Quietest Small Towns in America
How Shapleigh ranks
Percentile among Maine towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Maine towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Shapleigh is worth $356,000, above the typical Maine town ($238,950). Homes cost about 4.0 times the median household income of $88,140, which is more affordable than 32% of Maine towns. Median rent is $1,349 a month. 95.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Shapleigh | Typical Maine town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $356,000 | $238,950 |
| Median rent | $1,349 | $1,027 |
| Median household income | $88,140 | $68,967 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.0× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 95.4% | 82.4% |
| Median year built | 1980 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 43.2% | — |
Who lives in Shapleigh
| People | Shapleigh | Typical Maine town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 46.9 | 46.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 24.1% | 22.9% |
| Under 18 | 20.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 29.7% | 28.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 5.3% | 10.7% |
| Veterans | 8.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.7% | — |
| Work from home | 13.0% | 12.3% |
| Average commute | 32.5 min | 25.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 96.9% | 90.0% |
Weather in Shapleigh
July highs average 81.3°F and January lows 9.9°F. About 51.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 75.2 inches of snow (typical Maine town: 77.2 in). Expect about 10 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 156 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Shapleigh since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical Maine town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on October 10, 1966 about 9.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 21, 2010.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 22 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on August 4, 2015.
Severe weather in York County since 1996
York County has been included in 42 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| May 24, 2024 | Winter Storm | DR-4785: Severe Winter Storm |
| March 20, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4764: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| September 14, 2023 | Hurricane | EM-3598: Hurricane Lee |
| March 22, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4696: Severe Storm And Flooding |
| March 15, 2022 | Coastal Storm | DR-4647: Severe Storm And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in York County
York County had 79,378 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $61,811 a year. Unemployment was 2.6% in 2023; in Shapleigh itself the ACS puts it at 2.9%.
Public schools in Shapleigh
1 public school with 160 students, about 12.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shapleigh Memorial School | PK-5 | 160 | 12.3 |
Towns near Shapleigh
- Acton, ME5.5 mi · 2,671 people · home $334,300
- Waterboro, ME6.2 mi · 7,936 people · home $297,000
- Alfred, ME7.4 mi · 3,073 people · home $342,300
- Lake Arrowhead, ME8.7 mi · 3,192 people · home $267,300
- Wakefield, NH9.3 mi · 5,201 people · home $322,800
- Limerick, ME9.6 mi · 3,188 people · home $269,400
- Sanford, ME9.7 mi · 21,982 people · home $280,200
- Lyman, ME10.0 mi · 4,525 people · home $360,400
Shapleigh questions
Is Shapleigh, Maine a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Shapleigh scores better for retirees than 29% of Maine towns and quieter than 93%. 24.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 46.9).
How much does a house cost in Shapleigh?
The median owner-occupied home in Shapleigh is valued at $356,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $88,140, so homes cost about 4.0 times income. Median rent is $1,349 a month.
What is the weather like in Shapleigh?
July highs average 81.3°F and January lows 9.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 51.3 inches of precipitation a year and 75.2 inches of snow.
Does Shapleigh get tornadoes?
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Shapleigh since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on October 10, 1966. The typical Maine town has had 2.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)