What stands out worked out from the figures below

Middleton has the highest household income ($102k).

Effingham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+15.4%).

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	Middleton	Effingham
People
Population	1,595Lowest	1,912Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.2%Lowest NH: +4.6%	+15.4%Highest NH: +4.6%
Median age	43.5±5.7Lowest about the NH average	46.9±12.4Highest 8% above NH
	Effingham and Middleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	18.9%±4.2Lowest NH: 18.2%	19.5%±4.5Highest NH: 18.2%
	Effingham and Middleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	18.9%±2Highest NH: 20.1%	18.7%±2.5Lowest NH: 20.1%
	Middleton and Effingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	23.4%Highest NH: 40.6%	20.3%Lowest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.2%±1.9Highest NH: 6%	1.1%±0.8Lowest NH: 6%
	Middleton and Effingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$101,696±$8kHighest about the NH average	$76,607±$14kLowest 23% below NH
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$312,300±$27kLowest 22% below NH	$322,700±$30kHighest 20% below NH
	Effingham and Middleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,500±$293Highest about the NH average	$1,090±$121Lowest 27% below NH
	Middleton and Effingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,504Highest 17% below NH	$5,163Lowest 23% below NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	83.3%±100Highest NH: 48.2%	13.6%±40.4Lowest NH: 48.2%
	Middleton and Effingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5.8%Lowest NH: 7.2%	9%Highest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	96.5%Highest NH: 72.8%	90.2%Lowest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1981Lowest 2 yrs newer than NH	1982Highest 3 yrs newer than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	39 minHighest 45% above NH	32 minLowest 18% above NH
Work from home	14.1%±5.4Lowest NH: 16.8%	16.1%±4.2Highest NH: 16.8%
	Effingham and Middleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
School district	Middleton School District	Governor Wentworth Regional 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.