Compare towns
Holderness vs Plainfield vs Kennebunk
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Holderness has the most affordable homes ($363k median).
Plainfield has the most kids (23.4% under 18).
Kennebunk has the most people working from home (32.5%).
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 | Holderness | Plainfield | Kennebunk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,917Lowest |
2,522 |
11,820Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.4±7.4 about the U.S. average |
38.9±6.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
54.6±3.3Highest 40% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 14.7%±9.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.4%±5.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±3 U.S.: 22% |
| Plainfield and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 31.4%±4.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
30%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Holderness and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
51.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainfield and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $107,863±$45k 34% above U.S. |
$122,656±$13kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$107,804±$8kLowest 34% above U.S. |
| Plainfield and Holderness are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $363,100±$60kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$442,400±$47k 33% above U.S. |
$487,700±$21kHighest 47% above U.S. |
| Kennebunk and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,068±$385Highest 46% above U.S. |
$1,674±$181 18% above U.S. |
$1,425±$290Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Holderness and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,923Lowest 26% above U.S. |
$7,904Highest 153% above U.S. |
$4,999 60% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 23.5%±21.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.8%±23.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
37.1%±10.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Kennebunk and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 9.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±8.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
32.5%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Kennebunk 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 | — | #19 of 120 in NH | #9 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Holderness School District | Plainfield School District | RSU 21 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Kennebunk High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.6 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.