Compare towns
Windsor vs Gorham vs Plainfield vs Cheshire
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Windsor has the highest household income ($116k).
Gorham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.9%).
Plainfield has the most people working from home (26.2%).
Cheshire has the most affordable homes ($268k 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 | Windsor | Gorham | Plainfield | Cheshire |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,065 |
18,300Highest |
616Lowest |
3,216 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.8±6.4 15% above U.S. |
39.4±2.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
50.6±9.5 30% above U.S. |
53.7±4.5Highest 38% above U.S. |
| Cheshire and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.8%±5.1 U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
19%±9.3 U.S.: 22% |
15.3%±4.2Lowest 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+ | 18.6%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.5%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
29.5%±7.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
30.5%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Cheshire and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
52.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
26.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
13.1%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±2.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $115,563±$10kHighest 43% above U.S. |
$112,312±$6k 39% above U.S. |
$63,500±$14kLowest 21% below U.S. |
$69,803±$14k 14% below U.S. |
| Windsor and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $389,700±$32k 17% above U.S. |
$460,900±$26kHighest 39% above U.S. |
$309,000±$47k 7% below U.S. |
$268,200±$48kLowest 19% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,680±$355Highest 19% above U.S. |
$1,292±$558Lowest 9% 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 | $3,867 24% above U.S. |
$4,825Highest 55% above U.S. |
$4,458 43% above U.S. |
$3,005Lowest 4% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
37.9%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
40%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
21.2%±24 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 | 3.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
16.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
81.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
98%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
89% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1964Lowest 16 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 37 min 41% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
38 minHighest 44% above U.S. |
29 min 10% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 21.2%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
26.2%±8.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
4.4%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Plainfield and Windsor 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 | — | #274 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Gorham Public Schools | — | Hoosac Valley Regional |
| High school in town | — | Gorham High School | — | Hoosac Valley High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.9Highest |
— | 10.5Lowest |
| 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.