Compare towns
Brookfield vs Meredith vs Ossipee vs Wakefield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brookfield has the oldest population (median age 58.1).
Meredith has the most people working from home (23.7%).
Ossipee has the most kids (19.5% under 18).
Wakefield has the highest household income ($101k).
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 | Brookfield | Meredith | Ossipee | Wakefield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 567Lowest |
6,758Highest |
4,521 |
5,405 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% NH: +4.6% |
+6.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+0.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+2.4% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 58.1±9.7Highest 34% above NH |
55.5±3.7 28% above NH |
50±4.6 15% above NH |
49.4±4.1Lowest 14% above NH |
| Brookfield and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 8.6%±4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
12.6%±3.3 NH: 18.2% |
19.5%±4.5Highest NH: 18.2% |
18.7%±3.9 NH: 18.2% |
| Ossipee and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 38.4%±3.4Highest NH: 20.1% |
34.2%±5 NH: 20.1% |
26.3%±5.9 NH: 20.1% |
18.8%±4.7Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Brookfield and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.8% NH: 40.6% |
45.9%Highest NH: 40.6% |
24.8%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
26.2% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±5Highest NH: 6% |
2.9%±1.2 NH: 6% |
2.9%±1.7 NH: 6% |
1.4%±1.1Lowest NH: 6% |
| Brookfield and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $81,406±$31kLowest 18% below NH |
$87,019±$19k 12% below NH |
$90,521±$22k 9% below NH |
$100,976±$11kHighest about the NH average |
| Wakefield and Ossipee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $428,000±$61k 6% above NH |
$480,100±$48kHighest 19% above NH |
$325,500±$23k 19% below NH |
$322,800±$43kLowest 20% below NH |
| Meredith and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,149±$304Lowest 23% below NH |
$1,601±$245Highest 7% above NH |
$1,375±$434 8% below NH |
| Ossipee and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,926Highest 11% below NH |
$5,006 25% below NH |
$4,401 34% below NH |
$2,954Lowest 56% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | — | 48.5%±9.2 NH: 48.2% |
72%±16.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
0%±82.9Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Ossipee and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.9%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
7.7% NH: 7.2% |
8.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
7.2% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 98.4%Highest NH: 72.8% |
75.8%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
82% NH: 72.8% |
96.8% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
1979 same as NH |
1980Highest 1 yr newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the NH average |
26 minLowest about the NH average |
33 min 25% above NH |
36 minHighest 34% above NH |
| Work from home | 13.7%±6.8 NH: 16.8% |
23.7%±4.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
5.3%±3.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
15.1%±9.3 NH: 16.8% |
| Meredith and Wakefield 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 | — | #62 of 120 in NH | #100 of 120 in NH | #118 of 120 in NH |
| School district | — | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | Governor Wentworth Regional School District | Wakefield School District |
| High school in town | — | Inter-Lakes High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 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.