What stands out worked out from the figures below

Hancock has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.7%).

Wakefield has the most affordable homes ($323k median).

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	Hancock	Wakefield
People
Population	1,791Lowest	5,405Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.7%Highest NH: +4.6%	+2.4%Lowest NH: +4.6%
Median age	53.8±4.5Highest 24% above NH	49.4±4.1Lowest 14% above NH
	Hancock and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	15.4%±2.2Lowest NH: 18.2%	18.7%±3.9Highest NH: 18.2%
	Wakefield and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	30.2%±2.7Highest NH: 20.1%	18.8%±4.7Lowest NH: 20.1%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	53.9%Highest NH: 40.6%	26.2%Lowest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4%±1.6Highest NH: 6%	1.4%±1.1Lowest NH: 6%
	Hancock and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$95,208±$15kLowest 4% below NH	$100,976±$11kHighest about the NH average
	Wakefield and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$436,700±$22kHighest 8% above NH	$322,800±$43kLowest 20% below NH
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,208±$650Lowest 19% below NH	$1,375±$434Highest 8% below NH
	Wakefield and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,884Highest 3% above NH	$2,954Lowest 56% below NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	32.4%±55.6Highest NH: 48.2%	0%±82.9Lowest NH: 48.2%
	Hancock and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4.1%Lowest NH: 7.2%	7.2%Highest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	85.6%Lowest NH: 72.8%	96.8%Highest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1969Lowest 10 yrs older than NH	1980Highest 1 yr newer than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minLowest 24% above NH	36 minHighest 34% above NH
Work from home	14.9%±3.2Lowest NH: 16.8%	15.1%±9.3Highest NH: 16.8%
	Wakefield and Hancock 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	Contoocook Valley School District	Wakefield School District
High school in town	None in town	None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.