Compare towns
Gray vs Plainfield vs South Berwick 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 shortest commute (22 min average).
South Berwick has the most kids (26.7% under 18).
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 | South Berwick | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,429 |
2,522Lowest |
7,670 |
19,188Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.4%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 |
39±2.5 about the U.S. average |
41.8±1.8 7% above U.S. |
| Gray and Windham 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%±5.8 U.S.: 22% |
26.7%±6Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
| South Berwick 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% |
19.8%±4.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.8%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.9%±2.1 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% |
46.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.8%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% |
4.2%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±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. |
$99,572±$13k 23% above U.S. |
$107,934±$14k 34% above U.S. |
| Plainfield and Windham 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±$47kHighest 33% above U.S. |
$428,300±$26k 29% above U.S. |
$388,900±$22k 17% 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 |
$1,674±$181 18% above U.S. |
$1,726±$83Highest 22% above U.S. |
$1,232±$332Lowest 13% below 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 | $3,683Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$7,904Highest 153% above U.S. |
$4,956 59% 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%±23.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
53.5%±24.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
32.7%±14.7 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% |
5.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.3%Lowest 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. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
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% |
17.6%±5.8 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 | #58 of 133 in ME | #95 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Plainfield School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | RSU 14 |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | None in town | Marshwood High School | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5 |
— | 13.0Highest |
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.