Compare towns
New Gloucester vs Plainfield vs Pownal
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
New Gloucester has the most affordable homes ($357k median).
Plainfield has the shortest commute (22 min average).
Pownal has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.2%).
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 | New Gloucester | Plainfield | Pownal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,766Highest |
2,522 |
1,696Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.1±5.5 3% above U.S. |
38.9±6.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
47.2±8.4Highest 21% above U.S. |
| Pownal and New Gloucester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 24.2%±5.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
23.4%±5.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
24.2%±4.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 15.4%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±4.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
23.5%±2.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Pownal and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
49%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainfield and Pownal are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $108,797±$12k 35% above U.S. |
$122,656±$13kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$104,333±$14kLowest 29% above U.S. |
| Plainfield and New Gloucester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $357,100±$29kLowest 7% above U.S. |
$442,400±$47kHighest 33% above U.S. |
$436,800±$32k 31% above U.S. |
| Plainfield and Pownal are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$249 19% below U.S. |
$1,674±$181Highest 18% above U.S. |
$981±$636Lowest 31% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,417Lowest 10% above U.S. |
$7,904Highest 153% above U.S. |
$5,212 67% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 24.7%±12Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.8%±23.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
78.9%±22.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 4.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
89.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991Highest 11 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 14.2%±6.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±8.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
23.9%±5.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Pownal 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 | #65 of 133 in ME | #19 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 | Plainfield School District | RSU 05 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.