What stands out worked out from the figures below

Porter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.8%).

Whitefield has the oldest population (median age 51.9).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Porter	Whitefield
People
Population	1,746Lowest	2,157Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6.8%Highest ME: +2.6%	+4.7%Lowest ME: +2.6%
Median age	40.9±7.9Lowest 9% below ME	51.9±5.2Highest 16% above ME
	Whitefield and Porter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	16.8%±4Lowest ME: 18.1%	17.6%±4.7Highest ME: 18.1%
	Whitefield and Porter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	20.4%±3.2Lowest ME: 22.4%	29.1%±4.6Highest ME: 22.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	14%Lowest ME: 36.2%	32.7%Highest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.7%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8%	4%±2Highest ME: 5.8%
	Whitefield and Porter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$60,417±$9kLowest 19% below ME	$73,875±$10kHighest about the ME average
	Whitefield and Porter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$226,100±$20kLowest 24% below ME	$242,300±$24kHighest 18% below ME
	Whitefield and Porter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	—	$895±$126 21% below ME
Property taxmedian, yearly	$1,841Lowest 39% below ME	$2,366Highest 22% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	43.9%±8.7Highest ME: 48.4%	33.3%±22.1Lowest ME: 48.4%
	Porter and Whitefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	9.8%Highest ME: 10.7%	7.1%Lowest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	87.4%Lowest ME: 74.3%	91.5%Highest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME	1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	32 minHighest 30% above ME	30 minLowest 23% above ME
Work from home	15.5%±5.4Highest ME: 15.9%	13.5%±6.8Lowest ME: 15.9%
	Porter and Whitefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
School district	—	RSU 12
High school in town	—	None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

ME 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.