Compare towns
Burlington vs Hooksett vs Wakefield vs Marshfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Burlington has the highest household income ($146k).
Hooksett has the most affordable homes ($407k median).
Wakefield has the most renters (29.3% rent).
Marshfield has the most people working from home (24.8%).
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 | Burlington | Hooksett | Wakefield | Marshfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 26,274 |
15,057Lowest |
27,793Highest |
25,879 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.9±2.2Highest 18% above U.S. |
41.3±1.5Lowest 6% above U.S. |
42.4±1.7 9% above U.S. |
45.9±2.6Highest 18% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.4%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
20%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.6%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Wakefield and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.3%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19%±1.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.2%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Burlington and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 58.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
39.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
52.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
8.9%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $146,436±$14kHighest 81% above U.S. |
$117,962±$11kLowest 46% above U.S. |
$134,306±$14k 66% above U.S. |
$125,986±$8k 56% above U.S. |
| Burlington and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $740,600±$35kHighest 123% above U.S. |
$407,000±$26kLowest 22% above U.S. |
$723,500±$24k 117% above U.S. |
$680,300±$27k 104% above U.S. |
| Burlington and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,718±$368Highest 92% above U.S. |
$1,661±$206Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$1,958±$102 39% above U.S. |
$1,772±$123 25% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,165Lowest 98% above U.S. |
$6,554 110% above U.S. |
$7,779Highest 149% above U.S. |
$6,656 113% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.4%±10.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
41.7%±16.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.7%±7.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
68.1%±10.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Marshfield and Burlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
70.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 4% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
33 min 26% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 31% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.5%±3.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
24.6%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
24.8%±4.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Marshfield 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 | #83 of 282 in MA | #30 of 120 in NH | #179 of 282 in MA | #54 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Burlington | Hooksett School District | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Marshfield |
| High school in town | Burlington High | None in town | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | Marshfield High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3Highest |
— | 10.7Lowest |
11.0 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.