Compare towns

Marlow vs Ossipee vs Wakefield

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Marlow has the highest household income ($110k).
Ossipee has the most renters (18% rent).
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.

MeasureMarlowOssipeeWakefield
People
Population
855Lowest
4,521
5,405Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+0.9%
NH: +4.6%
+0.6%Lowest
NH: +4.6%
+2.4%Highest
NH: +4.6%
Median age
52.8±11.7Highest
22% above NH
50±4.6
15% above NH
49.4±4.1Lowest
14% above NH
Marlow and Ossipee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
20.5%±6.3Highest
NH: 18.2%
19.5%±4.5
NH: 18.2%
18.7%±3.9Lowest
NH: 18.2%
Marlow and Ossipee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
30.5%±5.7Highest
NH: 20.1%
26.3%±5.9
NH: 20.1%
18.8%±4.7Lowest
NH: 20.1%
Marlow and Ossipee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
33.4%Highest
NH: 40.6%
24.8%Lowest
NH: 40.6%
26.2%
NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
3.3%±2.2Highest
NH: 6%
2.9%±1.7
NH: 6%
1.4%±1.1Lowest
NH: 6%
Marlow and Ossipee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$110,455±$12kHighest
12% above NH
$90,521±$22kLowest
9% below NH
$100,976±$11k
about the NH average
Marlow and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$325,400±$49k
19% below NH
$325,500±$23kHighest
19% below NH
$322,800±$43kLowest
20% below NH
Ossipee and Marlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,154±$160Lowest
23% below NH
$1,601±$245Highest
7% above NH
$1,375±$434
8% below NH
Ossipee and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$5,826Highest
13% below NH
$4,401
34% below NH
$2,954Lowest
56% below NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
18.2%±95.1
NH: 48.2%
72%±16.3Highest
NH: 48.2%
0%±82.9Lowest
NH: 48.2%
Ossipee and Marlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
8.9%Highest
NH: 7.2%
8.1%
NH: 7.2%
7.2%Lowest
NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
92.6%
NH: 72.8%
82%Lowest
NH: 72.8%
96.8%Highest
NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year
1981Highest
2 yrs newer than NH
1979Lowest
same as NH
1980
1 yr newer than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
35 min
31% above NH
33 minLowest
25% above NH
36 minHighest
34% above NH
Work from home
0.8%±1.1Lowest
NH: 16.8%
5.3%±3.7
NH: 16.8%
15.1%±9.3Highest
NH: 16.8%
Wakefield and Ossipee 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 #118 of 120 in NH
School district Marlow School District Governor Wentworth Regional School District Wakefield School District
High school in town None in town None in town None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story None yet 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.