Compare towns
New Gloucester vs Plainfield vs Sidney
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 renters (17.1% rent).
Plainfield has the most people working from home (18.1%).
Sidney has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.4%).
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 | New Gloucester | Plainfield | Sidney |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,766Highest |
2,522Lowest |
4,790 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.1±5.5 3% above U.S. |
38.9±6.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
43±5.5Highest 11% above U.S. |
| Sidney 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%±5.8 U.S.: 22% |
23.1%±5.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| New Gloucester and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.4%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±4.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.4%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Plainfield and Sidney 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%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
33.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainfield and New Gloucester 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. |
$83,488±$10kLowest 3% 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±$29k 7% above U.S. |
$442,400±$47kHighest 33% above U.S. |
$336,200±$34kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$249Lowest 19% below U.S. |
$1,674±$181Highest 18% above U.S. |
$1,340±$304 5% below U.S. |
| Plainfield and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,417 10% above U.S. |
$7,904Highest 153% above U.S. |
$2,474Lowest 21% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 24.7%±12 U.S.: 51.1% |
31.8%±23.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
16.4%±17.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Plainfield and New Gloucester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4%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 | 1991 11 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 14.2%±6.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±8.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.3%±5.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Plainfield and Sidney 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 | #15 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 | Plainfield School District | RSU 18 |
| 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.