Compare towns
Gray vs Plainfield vs Sanbornton vs Windham
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).
Plainfield has the most kids (23.4% under 18).
Sanbornton has the most expensive homes ($452k median).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.4%).
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 | Sanbornton | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,429 |
2,522Lowest |
3,053 |
19,188Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5Highest 12% above U.S. |
38.9±6.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
41.9±5.4 8% above U.S. |
41.8±1.8 7% above U.S. |
| Gray and Sanbornton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±4 U.S.: 22% |
23.4%±5.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.1%±5.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Plainfield and Windham 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% |
19.8%±4.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.5%±4.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Sanbornton 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% |
39.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.2% 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% |
1.9%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.1 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. |
$113,750±$41k 41% above U.S. |
$107,934±$14k 34% above U.S. |
| Plainfield and Sanbornton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $363,700±$20kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$442,400±$47k 33% above U.S. |
$452,300±$30kHighest 36% above U.S. |
$388,900±$22k 17% above U.S. |
| Sanbornton and Plainfield 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 |
$1,674±$181Highest 18% above U.S. |
$1,289±$198 9% below U.S. |
$1,232±$332Lowest 13% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,683Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$7,904Highest 153% above U.S. |
$5,731 84% above U.S. |
$3,938 26% 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% |
29.3%±23.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
32.7%±14.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray and Windham 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% |
5.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 8% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 18% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±8.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.8%±6.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Windham 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 | #42 of 120 in NH | #95 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Plainfield School District | Winnisquam Regional School District | RSU 14 |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | None in town | None in town | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Highest |
— | — | 12.1Lowest |
| 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.