What stands out worked out from the figures below

Alstead has the most renters (24% rent).

Wakefield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.4%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Alstead	Wakefield
People
Population	1,551Lowest	5,405Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-3.8%Lowest NH: +4.6%	+2.4%Highest NH: +4.6%
Median age	56±3.3Highest 29% above NH	49.4±4.1Lowest 14% above NH
	Alstead and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	12.3%±3.1Lowest NH: 18.2%	18.7%±3.9Highest NH: 18.2%
	Wakefield and Alstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	27.8%±4.2Highest NH: 20.1%	18.8%±4.7Lowest NH: 20.1%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	28.3%Highest NH: 40.6%	26.2%Lowest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.4%±2.6Highest NH: 6%	1.4%±1.1Lowest NH: 6%
	Alstead and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$64,526±$11kLowest 35% below NH	$100,976±$11kHighest about the NH average
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$271,600±$37kLowest 33% below NH	$322,800±$43kHighest 20% below NH
	Wakefield and Alstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	—	$1,375±$434 8% below NH
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,322Highest 20% below NH	$2,954Lowest 56% below NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	72.1%±22.3Highest NH: 48.2%	0%±82.9Lowest NH: 48.2%
	Alstead and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	8.9%Highest NH: 7.2%	7.2%Lowest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	76%Lowest NH: 72.8%	96.8%Highest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1973Lowest 6 yrs older than NH	1980Highest 1 yr newer than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	32 minLowest 19% above NH	36 minHighest 34% above NH
Work from home	12.1%±5.6Lowest NH: 16.8%	15.1%±9.3Highest NH: 16.8%
	Wakefield and Alstead 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	—	#118 of 120 in NH
School district	Fall Mountain Regional School District	Wakefield School District
High school in town	None in town	None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	None yet	None yet

NH 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.