Compare towns
Plainfield vs Hermon 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%).
Hermon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+19.3%).
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 | Hermon | Wendell |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 616Lowest |
6,727Highest |
850 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+19.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.6±9.5Highest 30% above U.S. |
41.1±4.7Lowest 6% above U.S. |
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% |
21.6%±4.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
16%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Hermon 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% |
20.4%±4.7Lowest 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% |
37.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
51.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainfield and Wendell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $63,500±$14kLowest 21% below U.S. |
$96,629±$22kHighest 20% above U.S. |
$65,288±$14k 19% below U.S. |
| Hermon and Wendell 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. |
$333,600±$32kHighest about the U.S. average |
$290,300±$31kLowest 13% below U.S. |
| Hermon and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,292±$558 9% below U.S. |
$1,406±$202Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,239±$519Lowest 12% below U.S. |
| Hermon and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,458 43% above U.S. |
$2,761Lowest 11% below U.S. |
$4,519Highest 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
28.2%±19.1Lowest 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% |
6.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
21.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 98%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
2000Highest 20 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 38 minHighest 44% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
33 min 25% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 26.2%±8.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.8%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.8%±7.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Plainfield and Wendell 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 | — | #54 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | — | Hermon Public Schools | New Salem-Wendell |
| High school in town | — | Hermon High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.6 |
— |
| 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.