What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bath has the shortest commute (26 min average).

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	Bath	Wakefield
People
Population	1,097Lowest	5,405Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	0%Lowest NH: +4.6%	+2.4%Highest NH: +4.6%
Median age	48.6±8.6Lowest 12% above NH	49.4±4.1Highest 14% above NH
	Wakefield and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	21.3%±5.8Highest NH: 18.2%	18.7%±3.9Lowest NH: 18.2%
	Bath and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	26.1%±2.5Highest NH: 20.1%	18.8%±4.7Lowest NH: 20.1%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	26.8%Highest NH: 40.6%	26.2%Lowest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.4%±2Highest NH: 6%	1.4%±1.1Lowest NH: 6%
	Bath and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$67,813±$22kLowest 32% below NH	$100,976±$11kHighest about the NH average
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$234,400±$23kLowest 42% below NH	$322,800±$43kHighest 20% below NH
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,438±$309Highest 4% below NH	$1,375±$434Lowest 8% below NH
	Bath and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,413Highest 34% below NH	$2,954Lowest 56% below NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	5.9%±61.3Highest NH: 48.2%	0%±82.9Lowest NH: 48.2%
	Bath and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	8.1%Highest NH: 7.2%	7.2%Lowest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	90.9%Lowest NH: 72.8%	96.8%Highest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1978Lowest 1 yr older than NH	1980Highest 1 yr newer than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	26 minLowest 4% below NH	36 minHighest 34% above NH
Work from home	11.1%±3.2Lowest NH: 16.8%	15.1%±9.3Highest NH: 16.8%
	Wakefield and Bath 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	Bath 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.