Compare towns
Plainfield vs Mount Desert vs Holderness
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 most kids (23.4% under 18).
Mount Desert has the oldest population (median age 54.9).
Holderness has the most affordable homes ($363k median).
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 | Mount Desert | Holderness |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,522Highest |
1,671Lowest |
1,917 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.9±6.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
54.9±8.2Highest 41% above U.S. |
39.4±7.4 about the U.S. average |
| Mount Desert and Holderness are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.4%±5.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±9.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Plainfield and Holderness are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.8%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
29.1%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
31.4%±4.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Holderness and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
64.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
55.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±4.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.6%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainfield and Mount Desert 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. |
$92,813±$9kLowest 15% above U.S. |
$107,863±$45k 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 | $442,400±$47k 33% above U.S. |
$522,100±$66kHighest 57% above U.S. |
$363,100±$60kLowest 9% above U.S. |
| Mount Desert and Plainfield 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. |
$1,341±$89Lowest 5% below U.S. |
$2,068±$385Highest 46% above U.S. |
| Holderness 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. |
$3,512Lowest 13% above U.S. |
$3,923 26% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.8%±23.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
33.9%±31.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
23.5%±21.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Mount Desert and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
83.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 17% below U.S. |
18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 18.1%±8.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.1%±9.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Mount Desert 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 | — | — |
| School district | Plainfield School District | Mount Desert Public Schools | Holderness School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.