Compare towns
Gray vs Plainfield vs Windham vs Cumberland
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).
Cumberland has grown the fastest since 2010 (+17.5%).
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 | Windham | Cumberland |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,429 |
2,522Lowest |
19,188Highest |
8,647 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+17.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5Highest 12% above U.S. |
38.9±6.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
41.8±1.8 7% above U.S. |
41.9±4 8% above U.S. |
| Gray and Cumberland 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% |
19.2%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
25.6%±3.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Cumberland 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% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±2.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
46.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
72.5%Highest 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% |
3.9%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.6Lowest 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±$13k 52% above U.S. |
$107,934±$14k 34% above U.S. |
$173,894±$20kHighest 115% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $363,700±$20kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$442,400±$47k 33% above U.S. |
$388,900±$22k 17% above U.S. |
$616,800±$42kHighest 85% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89 about the U.S. average |
$1,674±$181 18% above U.S. |
$1,232±$332Lowest 13% below U.S. |
$2,143±$759Highest 52% above U.S. |
| Cumberland 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. |
$3,938 26% above U.S. |
$7,116 128% 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% |
32.7%±14.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
47.1%±31.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray and Cumberland 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1984 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
24 min 8% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±8.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
25.3%±7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Cumberland and Windham 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 | #95 of 133 in ME | #25 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Plainfield School District | RSU 14 | RSU 51/MSAD 51 |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | None in town | Windham High School | Greely High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Highest |
— | 12.1 |
9.5Lowest |
| 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.