Compare towns
Peacham vs Gray vs Plainfield vs Barnet
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Peacham has the most people working from home (24.2%).
Gray has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.5%).
Plainfield has the shortest commute (24 min average).
Barnet has the most affordable homes ($248k 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 | Peacham | Gray | Plainfield | Barnet |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 887Lowest |
8,429Highest |
1,314 |
1,855 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.1±5.7Highest 29% above U.S. |
43.4±4.5Lowest 12% above U.S. |
48.1±5.5 24% above U.S. |
47.7±5.3 23% above U.S. |
| Peacham and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.7%±6 U.S.: 22% |
19%±4 U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.6%±4.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Barnet and Peacham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 33.6%±2.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.1%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
28.8%±3.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Peacham and Barnet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
48.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
35.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
1%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $90,000±$28k 11% above U.S. |
$95,236±$8kHighest 18% above U.S. |
$69,250±$31k 14% below U.S. |
$67,386±$15kLowest 17% below U.S. |
| Gray and Peacham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $302,000±$64k 9% below U.S. |
$363,700±$20kHighest 9% above U.S. |
$318,400±$34k 4% below U.S. |
$247,900±$24kLowest 25% below U.S. |
| Gray and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,028±$248 27% below U.S. |
$1,371±$89Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,153±$103 18% below U.S. |
$974±$72Lowest 31% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,605Highest 80% above U.S. |
$3,683Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$4,806 54% above U.S. |
$4,489 44% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.7%±17.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
73.2%±53.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
59.3%±29.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Plainfield and Peacham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 10.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 24.2%±16.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.4%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±4.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Peacham 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 | — | — |
| School district | Peacham School District | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | — | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 |
| High school in town | None in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.5 |
— | — |
| 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.