Compare towns
Candia vs Townsend vs Wakefield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Candia has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.7%).
Townsend has the youngest population (median age 40.9).
Wakefield has the most people working from home (15.1%).
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 | Candia | Townsend | Wakefield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,134Lowest |
9,100Highest |
5,405 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.3±3.8 24% above U.S. |
40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
49.4±4.1Highest 27% above U.S. |
| Wakefield and Candia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.8%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Townsend and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.1%±4.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.8%±4.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Candia and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
35.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
26.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.7%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.4%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Candia and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $119,737±$37k 48% above U.S. |
$121,528±$23kHighest 51% above U.S. |
$100,976±$11kLowest 25% above U.S. |
| Townsend and Candia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $415,600±$46k 25% above U.S. |
$433,200±$22kHighest 30% above U.S. |
$322,800±$43kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Townsend and Candia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,213±$554Lowest 14% below U.S. |
$1,469±$313Highest 4% above U.S. |
$1,375±$434 about the U.S. average |
| Townsend and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,100Highest 96% above U.S. |
$6,031 93% above U.S. |
$2,954Lowest 5% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±21.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±82.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
82%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
96.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minLowest 30% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
36 min 35% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.8%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±9.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Wakefield and Candia 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 | #41 of 120 in NH | #136 of 282 in MA | #118 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Candia School District | North Middlesex | Wakefield School District |
| High school in town | None in town | North Middlesex Regional | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.1 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.