Compare towns
Gray vs North Hartland 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 the most affordable homes ($364k median).
North Hartland has the oldest population (median age 59.2).
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 | North Hartland | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,429Highest |
322Lowest |
2,522 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5 12% above U.S. |
59.2±4.6Highest 52% above U.S. |
38.9±6.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Kids under 18 | 19%±4 U.S.: 22% |
13.4%±17.2Lowest 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% |
23%±12.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±4.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| North Hartland 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% |
23.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0%±4.4Lowest 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±$8k 18% above U.S. |
$51,161±$50kLowest 37% below U.S. |
$122,656±$13kHighest 52% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $363,700±$20kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$420,000±$354k 26% above U.S. |
$442,400±$47kHighest 33% above U.S. |
| Plainfield and North Hartland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89Lowest about the U.S. average |
— | $1,674±$181Highest 18% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,683Lowest 18% above U.S. |
— | $7,904Highest 153% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.2%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
31.8%±23.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray and North Hartland 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% |
28.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
54%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
22 min 17% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
0%±8.8Lowest 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 | — | Plainfield School District |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | — | 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.