Compare towns
Ossipee vs Methuen 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 oldest population (median age 50).
Methuen has the most expensive homes ($500k median).
Effingham has the most people working from home (16.1%).
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 | Ossipee | Methuen | Effingham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,521 |
53,475Highest |
1,912Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +15.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50±4.6Highest 29% above U.S. |
39.9±1.7Lowest about the U.S. average |
46.9±12.4 21% above U.S. |
| Ossipee and Effingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.5%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±1.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.5%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Methuen and Ossipee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.3%±5.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.7%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ossipee and Effingham 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% |
31%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% |
6.7%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.1%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $90,521±$22k 12% above U.S. |
$113,310±$7kHighest 40% above U.S. |
$76,607±$14kLowest 5% below U.S. |
| Methuen and Ossipee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $325,500±$23k about the U.S. average |
$499,700±$17kHighest 50% above U.S. |
$322,700±$30kLowest 3% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,601±$245 13% above U.S. |
$1,749±$91Highest 24% above U.S. |
$1,090±$121Lowest 23% below U.S. |
| Methuen and Ossipee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,401Lowest 41% above U.S. |
$5,061 62% above U.S. |
$5,163Highest 66% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 72%±16.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.4%±6.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
13.6%±40.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 8.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1968Lowest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 27% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 5% above U.S. |
32 min 19% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 5.3%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.2%±2.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.1%±4.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Effingham and Methuen 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 | #236 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Governor Wentworth Regional School District | Methuen | Governor Wentworth Regional School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Methuen High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.1 |
— |
| 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.