Compare towns
Gray vs Holderness vs Plainfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Gray has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.5%).
Holderness has the most affordable homes ($363k median).
Plainfield has the most people working from home (18.1%).
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 | Gray | Holderness | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,429Highest |
1,917Lowest |
2,522 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5Highest 12% above U.S. |
39.4±7.4 about the U.S. average |
38.9±6.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Gray and Holderness are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±4 U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±9.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.4%±5.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Plainfield and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
31.4%±4.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±4.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
55.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.6%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gray and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $95,236±$8kLowest 18% above U.S. |
$107,863±$45k 34% above U.S. |
$122,656±$13kHighest 52% above U.S. |
| Plainfield and Holderness are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $363,700±$20k 9% above U.S. |
$363,100±$60kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$442,400±$47kHighest 33% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89Lowest about the U.S. average |
$2,068±$385Highest 46% above U.S. |
$1,674±$181 18% above U.S. |
| Holderness and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,683Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$3,923 26% above U.S. |
$7,904Highest 153% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
23.5%±21.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.8%±23.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±8.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Plainfield and Gray 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 | #10 of 133 in ME | — | #19 of 120 in NH |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Holderness School District | Plainfield School District |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.