Compare towns
Middleton vs Ira vs Wakefield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Middleton has the youngest population (median age 43.5).
Ira has the shortest commute (28 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.
| Measure | Middleton | Ira | Wakefield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,595 |
381Lowest |
5,405Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +2.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.5±5.7Lowest 12% above U.S. |
54.1±5.5Highest 39% above U.S. |
49.4±4.1 27% above U.S. |
| Ira and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.9%±4.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
10.5%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Middleton and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.9%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
28.9%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.8%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
26.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±3.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.4%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Ira 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 26% above U.S. |
$71,827±$5kLowest 11% below U.S. |
$100,976±$11k 25% above U.S. |
| Middleton and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $312,300±$27k 6% below U.S. |
$272,900±$18kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$322,800±$43kHighest about the U.S. average |
| Wakefield 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 6% above U.S. |
$942±$52Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,375±$434 about the U.S. average |
| Middleton and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,504Highest 76% above U.S. |
$4,146 33% above U.S. |
$2,954Lowest 5% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 83.3%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
36.4%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±82.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Middleton and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
14.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
96.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 39 minHighest 47% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 6% above U.S. |
36 min 35% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 14.1%±5.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
2.3%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±9.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Wakefield and Middleton 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 | Middleton School District | — | Wakefield School District |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.