Compare towns
Cornish vs Eliot vs South Berwick vs Plainfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cornish has the most affordable homes ($296k median).
Eliot has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.3%).
South Berwick has the most kids (26.7% under 18).
Plainfield has the highest household income ($123k).
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 | Cornish | Eliot | South Berwick | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,816Lowest |
7,146 |
7,670Highest |
2,522 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54±8.3Highest 39% above U.S. |
50.8±5.9 31% above U.S. |
39±2.5 about the U.S. average |
38.9±6.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Cornish and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.4%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
26.7%±6Highest U.S.: 22% |
23.4%±5.8 U.S.: 22% |
| South Berwick and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 27.3%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.8%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±4.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Eliot and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
41.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
46.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainfield and South Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $91,821±$2kLowest 14% above U.S. |
$101,522±$10k 26% above U.S. |
$99,572±$13k 23% above U.S. |
$122,656±$13kHighest 52% above U.S. |
| Plainfield and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $296,000±$69kLowest 11% below U.S. |
$498,900±$62kHighest 50% above U.S. |
$428,300±$26k 29% above U.S. |
$442,400±$47k 33% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,221±$227Lowest 14% below U.S. |
$1,948±$471Highest 38% above U.S. |
$1,726±$83 22% above U.S. |
$1,674±$181 18% above U.S. |
| Eliot and South Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,796 86% above U.S. |
$4,549Lowest 46% above U.S. |
$4,956 59% above U.S. |
$7,904Highest 153% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.5%±38.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
53.5%±24.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
31.8%±23.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Eliot and South Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
78.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 same as U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 8% below U.S. |
23 min 15% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.6%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±8.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Plainfield and South Berwick 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 | — | #19 of 133 in ME | #58 of 133 in ME | #19 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Cornish School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Plainfield School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Marshwood High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 13.0 |
— |
| 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.