Compare towns
Plainfield vs Gray vs Heath
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 homeowners (98%).
Gray has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.5%).
Heath has the most people working from home (31.7%).
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 | Gray | Heath |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 616Lowest |
8,429Highest |
765 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.6±9.5 30% above U.S. |
43.4±4.5Lowest 12% above U.S. |
53.8±11.9Highest 38% above U.S. |
| Heath and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±9.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
19%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.1%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 29.5%±7.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
33.6%±8.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Heath and Plainfield 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% |
44.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $63,500±$14kLowest 21% below U.S. |
$95,236±$8k 18% above U.S. |
$98,750±$23kHighest 22% above U.S. |
| Heath and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $309,000±$47k 7% below U.S. |
$363,700±$20kHighest 9% above U.S. |
$295,000±$45kLowest 11% 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 | $1,292±$558Lowest 9% below U.S. |
$1,371±$89Highest about the U.S. average |
— |
| Gray and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,458Highest 43% above U.S. |
$3,683Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$4,438 42% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 98%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 38 minHighest 44% above U.S. |
29 minLowest 8% above U.S. |
35 min 32% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 26.2%±8.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
31.7%±17.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Heath 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 | — | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | — |
| High school in town | — | Gray-New Gloucester High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.5 |
— |
| 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.