Compare towns
Plainfield vs Gorham vs Wendell
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Plainfield has the most people working from home (26.2%).
Gorham has the highest household income ($112k).
Wendell has the most affordable homes ($290k 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 | Plainfield | Gorham | Wendell |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 616Lowest |
18,300Highest |
850 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.6±9.5Highest 30% above U.S. |
39.4±2.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
47.1±8.8 21% above U.S. |
| Plainfield and Wendell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±9.3 U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
16%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Gorham and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.5%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.5%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.7%±5.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Plainfield and Wendell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
51.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
13.1%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $63,500±$14kLowest 21% below U.S. |
$112,312±$6kHighest 39% above U.S. |
$65,288±$14k 19% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $309,000±$47k 7% below U.S. |
$460,900±$26kHighest 39% above U.S. |
$290,300±$31kLowest 13% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,292±$558 9% below U.S. |
$1,680±$355Highest 19% above U.S. |
$1,239±$519Lowest 12% below U.S. |
| Gorham and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,458Lowest 43% above U.S. |
$4,825Highest 55% above U.S. |
$4,519 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
37.9%±8.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.6%±40.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Wendell and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
21.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 98%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 38 minHighest 44% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
33 min 25% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 26.2%±8.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.8%±7.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Plainfield and Gorham 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 | — | #24 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | — | Gorham Public Schools | New Salem-Wendell |
| High school in town | — | Gorham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.9 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.