Compare towns
Gray vs Plainfield vs Salisbury
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%).
Plainfield has the shortest commute (22 min average).
Salisbury has the most people working from home (23.3%).
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 | Plainfield | Salisbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,429Highest |
2,522 |
1,609Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5 12% above U.S. |
38.9±6.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
51.5±4.5Highest 32% above U.S. |
| Salisbury and Gray 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% |
23.4%±5.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.1%±9.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Plainfield and Salisbury 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% |
19.8%±4.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.9%±4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Salisbury 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% |
46.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.1Lowest 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. |
$122,656±$13kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$111,591±$17k 38% above U.S. |
| Plainfield and Salisbury 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. |
$442,400±$47kHighest 33% above U.S. |
$363,400±$47kLowest 9% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,674±$181 18% above U.S. |
$1,917±$632Highest 36% above U.S. |
| Salisbury 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. |
$7,904Highest 153% above U.S. |
$5,859 88% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.8%±23.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest 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% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
96.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 3 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 min 8% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 21% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±8.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
23.3%±10.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Salisbury and Plainfield 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 | Merrimack Valley 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.