Compare towns
Effingham vs Ossipee vs Ware 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
Effingham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+15.4%).
Ossipee has the oldest population (median age 50).
Ware has the most renters (27.7% rent).
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 | Effingham | Ossipee | Ware | Wakefield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,912Lowest |
4,521 |
10,048Highest |
5,405 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +15.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.9±12.4 21% above U.S. |
50±4.6Highest 29% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7Lowest 11% above U.S. |
49.4±4.1 27% above U.S. |
| Ossipee and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.5%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.5%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 18.7%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.3%±5.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.8%±4.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ossipee and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
24.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
24% U.S.: 35.7% |
26.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.1%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.4%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Ware and Ossipee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $76,607±$14k 5% below U.S. |
$90,521±$22k 12% above U.S. |
$67,475±$15kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$100,976±$11kHighest 25% above U.S. |
| Wakefield and Ossipee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $322,700±$30k 3% below U.S. |
$325,500±$23kHighest about the U.S. average |
$289,700±$28kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$322,800±$43k about the U.S. average |
| Ossipee and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,090±$121 23% below U.S. |
$1,601±$245Highest 13% above U.S. |
$1,043±$109Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,375±$434 about the U.S. average |
| Ossipee and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,163Highest 66% above U.S. |
$4,401 41% above U.S. |
$4,237 36% above U.S. |
$2,954Lowest 5% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 13.6%±40.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
72%±16.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±82.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ossipee and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
82% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
96.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 19% above U.S. |
33 min 27% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 8% above U.S. |
36 minHighest 35% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.1%±4.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
5.3%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±9.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Effingham 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 | — | #100 of 120 in NH | #267 of 282 in MA | #118 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Governor Wentworth Regional School District | Governor Wentworth Regional School District | Ware | Wakefield School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.1 |
— |
| 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.