Compare towns
Appleton vs Whitefield vs Strong
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Whitefield has the most renters (37.4% rent).
Strong has the most people working from home (18.5%).
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 | Appleton | Whitefield | Strong |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,360 |
2,516Highest |
1,249Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-7.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4 26% above U.S. |
51.4±4.6Highest 32% above U.S. |
47.5±8.9Lowest 22% above U.S. |
| Whitefield and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.3%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
14.3%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.5%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Strong and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.1%±9.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
28.6%±5.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Whitefield and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
26.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
26.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Whitefield and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $53,618±$19k 34% below U.S. |
$63,125±$12kHighest 22% below U.S. |
$47,557±$10kLowest 41% below U.S. |
| Whitefield and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $235,600±$33k 29% below U.S. |
$240,400±$22kHighest 28% below U.S. |
$183,900±$29kLowest 45% below U.S. |
| Whitefield and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,104±$82Highest 22% below U.S. |
$1,077±$160 24% below U.S. |
$920±$276Lowest 35% below U.S. |
| Appleton and Whitefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,588 15% above U.S. |
$4,394Highest 41% above U.S. |
$1,950Lowest 37% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.9%±15.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
20.9%±52.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Appleton and Whitefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11% U.S.: 12.5% |
13.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
62.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 14% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
31 minHighest 18% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.2%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.5%±9.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Strong and Appleton 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 | — | #86 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | White Mountains Regional School District | RSU 58/MSAD 58 |
| High school in town | None in town | White Mountains Regional High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 7.9 |
— |
| 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.