Compare towns
Plainfield vs South Berwick vs 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).
South Berwick has the most renters (33% rent).
Berwick has the most people working from home (20.2%).
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 | South Berwick | Berwick |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,522Lowest |
3,381 |
8,175Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +9.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.9±6.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
41.4±6.2Highest 6% above U.S. |
40.7±2.9 5% above U.S. |
| South Berwick and Berwick 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% |
21.7%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.7%±4.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Plainfield and Berwick 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% |
15.6%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Plainfield and 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
47.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±2.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.7Lowest 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. |
$90,972±$22kLowest 13% above U.S. |
$94,771±$24k 17% above U.S. |
| Plainfield and 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. |
$396,700±$66k 19% above U.S. |
$369,100±$19kLowest 11% 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. |
$1,702±$76Highest 20% above U.S. |
$1,452±$430Lowest 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. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,904Highest 153% above U.S. |
$4,523 45% above U.S. |
$4,436Lowest 42% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.8%±23.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.7%±30.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±46 U.S.: 51.1% |
| South Berwick and Berwick 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% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
67%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
30 minHighest 12% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.1%±8.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.9%±9.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.2%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Berwick 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 | #58 of 133 in ME | #101 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Plainfield School District | — | RSU 60/MSAD 60 |
| 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.