Compare towns
Berwick vs Cornish vs Plainfield vs Rochester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Berwick has the most people working from home (20.2%).
Cornish has the oldest population (median age 54).
Plainfield has the highest household income ($123k).
Rochester has the most renters (34% rent).
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 | Berwick | Cornish | Plainfield | Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,175 |
1,816Lowest |
2,522 |
33,144Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.7±2.9 5% above U.S. |
54±8.3Highest 39% above U.S. |
38.9±6.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
43±1.8 11% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 22.7%±4.4 U.S.: 22% |
14.4%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.4%±5.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±1.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Plainfield and Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.2%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.3%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±4.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±1.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Cornish and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35% U.S.: 35.7% |
40.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
46.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
27.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainfield and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $94,771±$24k 17% above U.S. |
$91,821±$2k 14% above U.S. |
$122,656±$13kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$80,836±$3kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Plainfield and Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $369,100±$19k 11% above U.S. |
$296,000±$69k 11% below U.S. |
$442,400±$47kHighest 33% above U.S. |
$279,100±$10kLowest 16% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,452±$430 about the U.S. average |
$1,221±$227Lowest 14% below U.S. |
$1,674±$181Highest 18% above U.S. |
$1,369±$72 3% below U.S. |
| Plainfield and Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,436Lowest 42% above U.S. |
$5,796 86% above U.S. |
$7,904Highest 153% above U.S. |
$5,334 71% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.6%±46Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.5%±38.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
31.8%±23.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.3%±7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Berwick and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
66%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 12% above U.S. |
24 min 8% below U.S. |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 20.2%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±8.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.8%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Berwick 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 | #101 of 133 in ME | — | #19 of 120 in NH | #98 of 120 in NH |
| School district | RSU 60/MSAD 60 | Cornish School District | Plainfield School District | Rochester School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | Spaulding High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 13.2 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.