Compare towns
Ossipee vs Braintree vs Castleton vs Effingham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ossipee has the highest household income ($91k).
Braintree has the most people working from home (19%).
Castleton has the shortest commute (19 min average).
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.
| Measure | Ossipee | Braintree | Castleton | Effingham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,521Highest |
1,026Lowest |
4,453 |
1,912 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+15.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50±4.6 29% above U.S. |
58.4±2.4Highest 50% above U.S. |
38.3±4.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
46.9±12.4 21% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 19.5%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.3%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.8%±6.4 U.S.: 22% |
19.5%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 26.3%±5.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
33.2%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.7%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Braintree and Ossipee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
30.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
37.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
20.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.8%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
19.3%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.1%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $90,521±$22kHighest 12% above U.S. |
$79,803±$5k about the U.S. average |
$73,854±$23kLowest 9% below U.S. |
$76,607±$14k 5% below U.S. |
| Ossipee and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $325,500±$23kHighest about the U.S. average |
$217,700±$28kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$224,800±$71k 32% below U.S. |
$322,700±$30k 3% below U.S. |
| Ossipee and Effingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,601±$245Highest 13% above U.S. |
$840±$405Lowest 41% below U.S. |
$1,137±$195 20% below U.S. |
$1,090±$121 23% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,401 41% above U.S. |
$3,908 25% above U.S. |
$3,167Lowest about the U.S. average |
$5,163Highest 66% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 72%±16.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.4%±29.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
67.7%±21.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
13.6%±40.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ossipee and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82% U.S.: 65.2% |
81% U.S.: 65.2% |
79%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1974Lowest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 27% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
32 min 19% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 5.3%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±7.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.2%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.1%±4.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Braintree and Effingham 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 | — | #39 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Governor Wentworth Regional School District | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Governor Wentworth Regional School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.