Compare towns
Gray vs Mapleton vs Plainfield vs Union
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%).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Plainfield has the highest household income ($123k).
Union has the most kids (24.9% under 18).
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 | Union |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,429Highest |
1,884Lowest |
2,522 |
2,663 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.5% 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 |
41.6±5.3 7% 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%±5.8 U.S.: 22% |
24.9%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Union and Plainfield 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% |
21.4%±3.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Union 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% |
34.4% 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%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.5%±1.5Lowest 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±$25k 14% above U.S. |
$122,656±$13kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$80,724±$9kLowest about the U.S. average |
| 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. |
$267,600±$42k 20% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89 about the U.S. average |
$610±$277Lowest 57% below U.S. |
$1,674±$181Highest 18% above U.S. |
$1,179±$452 17% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,683 18% above U.S. |
$1,789Lowest 43% below U.S. |
$7,904Highest 153% above U.S. |
$3,276 5% above 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% |
24.6%±19.8 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 8% above U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±8.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.9%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Plainfield and Union 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 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Plainfield School District | RSU 40/MSAD 40 |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5 |
— | — | — |
| 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.