Compare towns
Brookfield vs Wakefield vs Middleton
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+6%).
Wakefield has the most people working from home (15.1%).
Middleton has the youngest population (median age 43.5).
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 | Brookfield | Wakefield | Middleton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 567Lowest |
5,405Highest |
1,595 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+2.4% NH: +4.6% |
+2.2%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 58.1±9.7Highest 34% above NH |
49.4±4.1 14% above NH |
43.5±5.7Lowest about the NH average |
| Brookfield and Wakefield 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% |
18.7%±3.9 NH: 18.2% |
18.9%±4.2Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Middleton 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% |
18.8%±4.7Lowest NH: 20.1% |
18.9%±2 NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.8%Highest NH: 40.6% |
26.2% NH: 40.6% |
23.4%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±5Highest NH: 6% |
1.4%±1.1Lowest NH: 6% |
3.2%±1.9 NH: 6% |
| Brookfield and Middleton 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 |
$100,976±$11k about the NH average |
$101,696±$8kHighest about the NH average |
| Middleton and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $428,000±$61kHighest 6% above NH |
$322,800±$43k 20% below NH |
$312,300±$27kLowest 22% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,375±$434Lowest 8% below NH |
$1,500±$293Highest about the NH average |
| Middleton 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 |
$2,954Lowest 56% below NH |
$5,504 17% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | — | 0%±82.9Lowest NH: 48.2% |
83.3%±100Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Middleton and Wakefield 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% |
7.2%Highest NH: 7.2% |
5.8% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 98.4%Highest NH: 72.8% |
96.8% NH: 72.8% |
96.5%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
1980 1 yr newer than NH |
1981Highest 2 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the NH average |
36 min 34% above NH |
39 minHighest 45% above NH |
| Work from home | 13.7%±6.8Lowest NH: 16.8% |
15.1%±9.3Highest NH: 16.8% |
14.1%±5.4 NH: 16.8% |
| Wakefield and Middleton 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 | — | Wakefield School District | Middleton School District |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.