Compare towns
Holderness 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
Holderness has the most affordable homes ($363k median).
South Berwick has the most renters (33% rent).
Plainfield has the most people working from home (18.1%).
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 | South Berwick | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,917Lowest |
3,381Highest |
2,522 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.4±7.4 about the U.S. average |
41.4±6.2Highest 6% above U.S. |
38.9±6.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
| South Berwick and Holderness are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.7%±9.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.7%±5.4 U.S.: 22% |
23.4%±5.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Plainfield and South Berwick 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% |
15.6%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±4.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
47.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
46.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±2.7 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 | $107,863±$45k 34% above U.S. |
$90,972±$22kLowest 13% above U.S. |
$122,656±$13kHighest 52% 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. |
$396,700±$66k 19% above U.S. |
$442,400±$47kHighest 33% above U.S. |
| Plainfield and South Berwick 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. |
$1,702±$76 20% above U.S. |
$1,674±$181Lowest 18% above U.S. |
| Holderness and South Berwick 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. |
$4,523 45% above U.S. |
$7,904Highest 153% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 23.5%±21.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.7%±30.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.8%±23.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| South Berwick 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% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
67%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.9%±9.8 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 | — | #58 of 133 in ME | #19 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Holderness School District | — | Plainfield School District |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| 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.