Compare towns
Plainfield vs Lebanon 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).
Lebanon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.6%).
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 | Lebanon | South Berwick |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,522Lowest |
14,999Highest |
7,670 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.9±6.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
38.9±3.1Lowest about the U.S. average |
39±2.5Highest about the U.S. average |
| South Berwick and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.4%±5.8 U.S.: 22% |
14.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
26.7%±6Highest 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+ | 19.8%±4.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.4%±2.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.8%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Lebanon and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
57.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.9%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Lebanon and Plainfield 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. |
$98,147±$10kLowest 22% 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. |
$385,400±$29kLowest 16% above 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±$181Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$1,744±$132Highest 23% above U.S. |
$1,726±$83 22% above U.S. |
| Lebanon and South Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,904 153% above U.S. |
$8,149Highest 161% above U.S. |
$4,956Lowest 59% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.8%±23.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.9%±7.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
53.5%±24.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| South Berwick and Lebanon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
51.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 17% below U.S. |
14 minLowest 47% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 18.1%±8.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±4.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.6%±5.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lebanon 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 | #29 of 120 in NH | #58 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Plainfield School District | Lebanon School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 |
| High school in town | None in town | Lebanon High School | Marshwood High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.7Lowest |
13.0Highest |
| 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.