Compare towns
Middleton vs Effingham vs Brookfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
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%).
Brookfield has the most expensive homes ($428k 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.
| Measure | Middleton | Effingham | Brookfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,595 |
1,912Highest |
567Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.2%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+15.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+6% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 43.5±5.7Lowest about the NH average |
46.9±12.4 8% above NH |
58.1±9.7Highest 34% above NH |
| Brookfield and Effingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.9%±4.2 NH: 18.2% |
19.5%±4.5Highest NH: 18.2% |
8.6%±4Lowest 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%±2 NH: 20.1% |
18.7%±2.5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
38.4%±3.4Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.4% NH: 40.6% |
20.3%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
36.8%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±1.9 NH: 6% |
1.1%±0.8Lowest NH: 6% |
5.5%±5Highest NH: 6% |
| Brookfield and Middleton 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 |
$81,406±$31k 18% below NH |
| Middleton and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $312,300±$27kLowest 22% below NH |
$322,700±$30k 20% below NH |
$428,000±$61kHighest 6% above NH |
| 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 | $5,504 17% below NH |
$5,163Lowest 23% below NH |
$5,926Highest 11% 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% NH: 7.2% |
9%Highest NH: 7.2% |
3.9%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.5% NH: 72.8% |
90.2%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
98.4%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 2 yrs newer than NH |
1982Highest 3 yrs newer than NH |
1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 39 minHighest 45% above NH |
32 min 18% above NH |
27 minLowest about the NH average |
| Work from home | 14.1%±5.4 NH: 16.8% |
16.1%±4.2Highest NH: 16.8% |
13.7%±6.8Lowest 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 | 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.