Compare towns
Gray vs Mapleton vs Plainfield vs Hermon
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 the oldest population (median age 43.4).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Plainfield has the most people working from home (18.1%).
Hermon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+19.3%).
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 | Mapleton | Plainfield | Hermon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,429Highest |
1,884Lowest |
2,522 |
6,727 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+19.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5Highest 12% above U.S. |
41.8±6 7% above U.S. |
38.9±6.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
41.1±4.7 6% above U.S. |
| Gray and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.2%±5.1 U.S.: 22% |
23.4%±5.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.6%±4.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Plainfield and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±4.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±4.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hermon and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
34.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gray and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $95,236±$8k 18% above U.S. |
$91,731±$25kLowest 14% above U.S. |
$122,656±$13kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$96,629±$22k 20% above U.S. |
| Plainfield and Hermon 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. |
$191,800±$23kLowest 42% below U.S. |
$442,400±$47kHighest 33% above U.S. |
$333,600±$32k about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89 about the U.S. average |
$610±$277Lowest 57% below U.S. |
$1,674±$181Highest 18% above U.S. |
$1,406±$202 about the U.S. average |
| Plainfield and Hermon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,683 18% above U.S. |
$1,789Lowest 43% below U.S. |
$7,904Highest 153% above U.S. |
$2,761 11% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.8%±23.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
28.2%±19.1 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% |
8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
2000Highest 20 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.8%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±8.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.8%±4.2Lowest 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 | #54 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Plainfield School District | Hermon Public Schools |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | None in town | None in town | Hermon High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Lowest |
— | — | 14.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.