Compare towns
Holderness vs Wells vs Plymouth
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 highest household income ($108k).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).
Plymouth has the youngest population (median age 24.6).
Plymouth is a college town. 33.7% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Wells | Plymouth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,917Lowest |
11,713Highest |
6,601 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+18%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.4±7.4 about the U.S. average |
53.6±3.8Highest 38% above U.S. |
24.6±3.4Lowest 37% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 14.7%±9.3 U.S.: 22% |
18%±3.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.6%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Wells and Holderness 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% |
31%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
12%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Holderness and Wells 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% |
43.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
54% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
33.7%±3.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $107,863±$45kHighest 34% above U.S. |
$88,024±$11k 9% above U.S. |
$77,027±$26kLowest 5% below U.S. |
| Holderness and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $363,100±$60k 9% above U.S. |
$485,300±$23kHighest 46% above U.S. |
$292,400±$22kLowest 12% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,068±$385Highest 46% above U.S. |
$1,350±$297 4% below U.S. |
$1,108±$255Lowest 22% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,923 26% above U.S. |
$3,215Lowest 3% above U.S. |
$6,288Highest 102% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 23.5%±21.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.1%±19.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
33.8%±11.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Wells and Plymouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
18.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
56.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Lowest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981Lowest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
28 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
18 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±4.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.7%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Wells and Plymouth 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 | — | #22 of 133 in ME | #47 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Holderness School District | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | Plymouth School District · Pemi-Baker Regional School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Wells High School | Plymouth Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.4Lowest |
12.8Highest |
| 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.