Compare towns
South Berwick vs Plainfield vs Gray vs Hampden
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
South Berwick has the most renters (21.7% rent).
Plainfield has the highest household income ($123k).
Gray has the oldest population (median age 43.4).
Hampden has the most people working from home (21.3%).
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 | South Berwick | Plainfield | Gray | Hampden |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,670 |
2,522Lowest |
8,429Highest |
7,896 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39±2.5 about the U.S. average |
38.9±6.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
43.4±4.5Highest 12% above U.S. |
41±2.9 5% above U.S. |
| Gray and Hampden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 26.7%±6Highest U.S.: 22% |
23.4%±5.8 U.S.: 22% |
19%±4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25.8%±5.7 U.S.: 22% |
| South Berwick and Hampden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 15.8%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±4.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Plainfield and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
45.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gray and Hampden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $99,572±$13k 23% above U.S. |
$122,656±$13kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$95,236±$8kLowest 18% above U.S. |
$111,959±$13k 39% above U.S. |
| Plainfield and Hampden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $428,300±$26k 29% above U.S. |
$442,400±$47kHighest 33% above U.S. |
$363,700±$20k 9% above U.S. |
$301,300±$38kLowest 9% below 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 | $1,726±$83Highest 22% above U.S. |
$1,674±$181 18% above U.S. |
$1,371±$89 about the U.S. average |
$1,286±$317Lowest 9% below 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 | $4,956 59% above U.S. |
$7,904Highest 153% above U.S. |
$3,683Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$3,694 18% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.5%±24.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
31.8%±23.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
22.2%±15.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray and South Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.6%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±8.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.3%±5.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Hampden 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 | #58 of 133 in ME | #19 of 120 in NH | #10 of 133 in ME | #6 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Plainfield School District | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | RSU 22 |
| High school in town | Marshwood High School | None in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Hampden Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.0 |
— | 12.5Lowest |
14.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.