What stands out worked out from the figures below

Hampton has the oldest population (median age 55.8).

Wakefield has the most kids (20% under 18).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Hampton	Wakefield
People
Population	16,426Lowest	27,793Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+5.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+8.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	55.8±2.1Highest 43% above U.S.	42.4±1.7Lowest 9% above U.S.
Kids under 18	11.6%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22%	20%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	30.9%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2%	19%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	42.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	59.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.1%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	4.4%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Wakefield and Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$95,233±$9kLowest 18% above U.S.	$134,306±$14kHighest 66% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$550,200±$39kLowest 65% above U.S.	$723,500±$24kHighest 117% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,628±$94Lowest 15% above U.S.	$1,958±$102Highest 39% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,813Lowest 118% above U.S.	$7,779Highest 149% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	56.8%±10.4Highest U.S.: 51.1%	43.7%±7.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Hampton and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	4.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	73.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	70.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S.	1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	26 minLowest about the U.S. average	33 minHighest 26% above U.S.
Work from home	21.7%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	24.6%±3.1Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Wakefield and Hampton 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	#31 of 120 in NH	#179 of 282 in MA
School district	Hampton School District · Winnacunnet Cooperative School District	Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield
High school in town	Winnacunnet High School	Northeast Metro Regional Vocational
Students per teacherat that high school	10.1Lowest	10.7Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.