Compare towns
Gray vs New Gloucester vs Plainfield vs South Berwick
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%).
New Gloucester has the most affordable homes ($357k median).
Plainfield has the shortest commute (22 min average).
South Berwick has the most kids (26.7% 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 | New Gloucester | Plainfield | South Berwick |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,429Highest |
5,766 |
2,522Lowest |
7,670 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5Highest 12% above U.S. |
40.1±5.5 3% above U.S. |
38.9±6.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
39±2.5 about the U.S. average |
| Gray and New Gloucester 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% |
24.2%±5.8 U.S.: 22% |
23.4%±5.8 U.S.: 22% |
26.7%±6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| South Berwick and New Gloucester 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% |
15.4%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±4.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.8%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Plainfield and Gray 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% |
30.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.9 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. |
$108,797±$12k 35% above U.S. |
$122,656±$13kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$99,572±$13k 23% above U.S. |
| Plainfield and New Gloucester 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. |
$357,100±$29kLowest 7% above U.S. |
$442,400±$47kHighest 33% above U.S. |
$428,300±$26k 29% above U.S. |
| Plainfield and South Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89 about the U.S. average |
$1,150±$249Lowest 19% below U.S. |
$1,674±$181 18% above U.S. |
$1,726±$83Highest 22% above U.S. |
| South Berwick and Plainfield 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. |
$3,417Lowest 10% above U.S. |
$7,904Highest 153% above U.S. |
$4,956 59% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
24.7%±12Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.8%±23.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
53.5%±24.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray and South Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1991Highest 11 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer 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. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.2%±6.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±8.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.6%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Plainfield and South Berwick 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 | #65 of 133 in ME | #19 of 120 in NH | #58 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | RSU 15/MSAD 15 | Plainfield School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | None in town | None in town | Marshwood High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Lowest |
— | — | 13.0Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.