What stands out worked out from the figures below

Madison has the shortest commute (22 min average).

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.

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

Measure	Madison	Wakefield
People
Population	2,680Lowest	5,405Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.5%Highest NH: +4.6%	+2.4%Lowest NH: +4.6%
Median age	50.3±9.7Highest 16% above NH	49.4±4.1Lowest 14% above NH
	Madison and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	23.1%±6.7Highest NH: 18.2%	18.7%±3.9Lowest NH: 18.2%
	Madison and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	23.1%±5.2Highest NH: 20.1%	18.8%±4.7Lowest NH: 20.1%
	Madison and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	37.9%Highest NH: 40.6%	26.2%Lowest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	1.9%±2.1Highest NH: 6%	1.4%±1.1Lowest NH: 6%
	Madison and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$102,697±$11kHighest 4% above NH	$100,976±$11kLowest about the NH average
	Madison and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$388,700±$36kHighest 3% below NH	$322,800±$43kLowest 20% below NH
	Madison and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,556±$256Highest 4% above NH	$1,375±$434Lowest 8% below NH
	Madison and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,074Highest 39% below NH	$2,954Lowest 56% below NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	69.2%±46Highest NH: 48.2%	0%±82.9Lowest NH: 48.2%
	Madison and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4.7%Lowest NH: 7.2%	7.2%Highest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	94.4%Lowest NH: 72.8%	96.8%Highest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1982Highest 3 yrs newer than NH	1980Lowest 1 yr newer than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	22 minLowest 17% below NH	36 minHighest 34% above NH
Work from home	8%±4.4Lowest NH: 16.8%	15.1%±9.3Highest NH: 16.8%
	Wakefield and Madison 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	Madison 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.