Compare towns
Hermon vs Plainfield vs Gray vs Carmel
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hermon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+19.3%).
Plainfield has the most people working from home (16.4%).
Gray has the most expensive homes ($364k median).
Carmel has the most affordable homes ($257k median).
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 | Hermon | Plainfield | Gray | Carmel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,727 |
1,314Lowest |
8,429Highest |
2,941 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +19.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.1±4.7Lowest 6% above U.S. |
48.1±5.5Highest 24% above U.S. |
43.4±4.5 12% above U.S. |
46.4±4.5 19% above U.S. |
| Plainfield and Carmel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.6%±4.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19%±4 U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±4.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Hermon and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.4%±4.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.1%±3.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.5%±5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Plainfield and Hermon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
48.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
17.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.9%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gray and Hermon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $96,629±$22kHighest 20% above U.S. |
$69,250±$31kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$95,236±$8k 18% above U.S. |
$82,188±$22k about the U.S. average |
| Hermon and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $333,600±$32k about the U.S. average |
$318,400±$34k 4% below U.S. |
$363,700±$20kHighest 9% above U.S. |
$256,800±$37kLowest 23% below U.S. |
| Gray and Hermon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,406±$202Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,153±$103Lowest 18% below U.S. |
$1,371±$89 about the U.S. average |
$1,276±$187 10% below U.S. |
| Hermon and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,761 11% below U.S. |
$4,806Highest 54% above U.S. |
$3,683 18% above U.S. |
$2,662Lowest 15% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 28.2%±19.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
73.2%±53.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±38.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Plainfield and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 2000Highest 20 yrs newer than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1996 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
24 min 9% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.8%±4.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.4%±4.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.5%±4.4Lowest 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 | #54 of 133 in ME | — | #10 of 133 in ME | #77 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Hermon Public Schools | — | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | RSU 87/MSAD 23 |
| High school in town | Hermon High School | — | Gray-New Gloucester High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.6Highest |
— | 12.5Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.