Compare towns
Ossipee vs Reading 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).
Reading has the most people working from home (22.9%).
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 | Reading | Effingham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,521Highest |
699Lowest |
1,912 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+15.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50±4.6 29% above U.S. |
51.1±7.6Highest 31% above U.S. |
46.9±12.4Lowest 21% above U.S. |
| Reading and Ossipee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.5%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.5%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.5%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 26.3%±5.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
28.2%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.7%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Reading 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% |
46%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% |
3.1%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.1%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Reading and Ossipee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $90,521±$22kHighest 12% above U.S. |
$85,000±$19k 5% above U.S. |
$76,607±$14kLowest 5% below U.S. |
| Ossipee and Reading 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 |
$377,200±$72kHighest 13% above U.S. |
$322,700±$30kLowest 3% below U.S. |
| Reading and Ossipee 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. |
$1,100±$331 22% below U.S. |
$1,090±$121Lowest 23% below U.S. |
| Ossipee and Reading 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. |
$5,754Highest 84% above U.S. |
$5,163 66% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 72%±16.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
63.3%±31.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
13.6%±40.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ossipee and Reading 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% |
8.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 27% above U.S. |
33 min 25% above U.S. |
32 minLowest 19% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 5.3%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.9%±10.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.1%±4.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Reading 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 | — | — |
| School district | Governor Wentworth Regional School District | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | Governor Wentworth Regional School District |
| High school in town | None 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.