Compare towns
Plainfield vs Gorham vs Brookfield
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 shortest commute (24 min average).
Gorham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.9%).
Brookfield has the most people working from home (27.3%).
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 | Brookfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,314Lowest |
18,300Highest |
1,486 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.1±5.5Highest 24% above U.S. |
39.4±2.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
47±5.9 21% above U.S. |
| Plainfield and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.3%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.8%±4.1 U.S.: 22% |
| Gorham and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.1%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.5%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
29.7%±6.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brookfield and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
13.1%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $69,250±$31kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$112,312±$6kHighest 39% above U.S. |
$98,500±$23k 22% above U.S. |
| Gorham and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $318,400±$34kLowest 4% below U.S. |
$460,900±$26kHighest 39% above U.S. |
$339,300±$15k about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,153±$103 18% below U.S. |
$1,680±$355Highest 19% above U.S. |
$975±$306Lowest 31% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,806 54% above U.S. |
$4,825Highest 55% above U.S. |
$4,560Lowest 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 73.2%±53.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
37.9%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
30.4%±27.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Plainfield and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
37 minHighest 38% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.4%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
27.3%±10.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brookfield 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 | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 |
| 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.