Compare towns
Ossipee vs Ware vs Milton 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).
Ware has the most renters (27.7% rent).
Milton has the most people working from home (18.9%).
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 | Ware | Milton | Effingham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,521 |
10,048Highest |
4,538 |
1,912Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2% U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+15.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50±4.6Highest 29% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7Lowest 11% above U.S. |
45.7±2.4 17% above U.S. |
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%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
18.4%±5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.5%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 26.3%±5.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.1%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.7%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ossipee and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
24% U.S.: 35.7% |
21.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
20.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.3%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.1%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Ware 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±$22k 12% above U.S. |
$67,475±$15kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$94,493±$27kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$76,607±$14k 5% below U.S. |
| Milton 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±$23kHighest about the U.S. average |
$289,700±$28kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$318,400±$34k 4% 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. |
$1,043±$109Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,587±$318 12% above U.S. |
$1,090±$121 23% below U.S. |
| Ossipee and Milton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,401 41% above U.S. |
$4,237Lowest 36% above U.S. |
$5,663Highest 82% above U.S. |
$5,163 66% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 72%±16.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
63.7%±24.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
13.6%±40.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ossipee and Ware 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% |
11.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 27% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 8% above U.S. |
33 min 26% above U.S. |
32 min 19% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 5.3%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.9%±6.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.1%±4.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Milton 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 | #267 of 282 in MA | #116 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Governor Wentworth Regional School District | Ware | Milton School District | Governor Wentworth Regional School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Nute High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1Highest |
10.6Lowest |
— |
| 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.