Compare towns
Pelham vs Wakefield vs Windham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Pelham has the most affordable homes ($553k median).
Wakefield has the most renters (29.3% rent).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.4%).
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 | Pelham | Wakefield | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 14,449Lowest |
27,793Highest |
16,038 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2.7 7% above U.S. |
42.4±1.7Highest 9% above U.S. |
41.1±2.9Lowest 6% above U.S. |
| Wakefield and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
20%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Windham and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.5%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
19%±1.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wakefield and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
62.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.9%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Pelham and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $135,956±$19k 68% above U.S. |
$134,306±$14kLowest 66% above U.S. |
$189,583±$19kHighest 135% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $552,600±$27kLowest 66% above U.S. |
$723,500±$24kHighest 117% above U.S. |
$723,300±$50k 117% above U.S. |
| Wakefield and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,425±$88Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,958±$102 39% above U.S. |
$3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,634 177% above U.S. |
$7,779Lowest 149% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.3%±12.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.7%±7.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.2%±50.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Pelham and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
70.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minLowest 12% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.8%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
24.6%±3.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Wakefield and Pelham 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 | #48 of 120 in NH | #179 of 282 in MA | #13 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Pelham School District | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Windham School District |
| High school in town | Pelham High School | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4Lowest |
10.7 |
12.8Highest |
| 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.