Compare towns
Plainfield vs Bennington vs South Berwick
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Plainfield has the highest household income ($123k).
Bennington has the most affordable homes ($267k median).
South Berwick has the most kids (26.7% under 18).
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 | Plainfield | Bennington | South Berwick |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,522 |
1,588Lowest |
7,670Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.9±6.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
42.1±7.8Highest 8% above U.S. |
39±2.5 about the U.S. average |
| Bennington and South Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.4%±5.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
26%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
26.7%±6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| South Berwick and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.8%±4.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.2%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.8%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Plainfield and South Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
33.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.8%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.9 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 | $122,656±$13kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$83,875±$7kLowest 4% above U.S. |
$99,572±$13k 23% above U.S. |
| Plainfield and South Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $442,400±$47kHighest 33% above U.S. |
$267,300±$15kLowest 20% below U.S. |
$428,300±$26k 29% 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 | $1,674±$181 18% above U.S. |
$1,292±$150Lowest 9% below U.S. |
$1,726±$83Highest 22% above U.S. |
| South Berwick and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,904Highest 153% above U.S. |
$5,944 91% above U.S. |
$4,956Lowest 59% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.8%±23.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
37.2%±20.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
53.5%±24.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| South Berwick and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
74.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
37 minHighest 40% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 18.1%±8.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.7%±4.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.6%±5.8 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 120 in NH | — | #58 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Plainfield School District | Contoocook Valley School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Marshwood High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 13.0 |
| 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.