Compare towns
Springfield vs Effingham vs Grafton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Springfield has the highest household income ($101k).
Effingham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+15.4%).
Grafton has the most people working from home (19.9%).
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.
| Measure | Springfield | Effingham | Grafton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,122Lowest |
1,912Highest |
1,354 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+15.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+3.4% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 51.4±8.8Highest 19% above NH |
46.9±12.4 8% above NH |
43.1±10.6Lowest about the NH average |
| Springfield and Effingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.1%±8Lowest NH: 18.2% |
19.5%±4.5 NH: 18.2% |
21%±4.9Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Grafton and Effingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.8%±1.6 NH: 20.1% |
18.7%±2.5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
21%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Grafton and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
20.3%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
24.7% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0%±1.5Lowest NH: 6% |
1.1%±0.8 NH: 6% |
4.5%±2.8Highest NH: 6% |
| Grafton and Effingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $100,893±$19kHighest about the NH average |
$76,607±$14kLowest 23% below NH |
$81,563±$22k 18% below NH |
| Springfield and Grafton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $384,100±$50kHighest 5% below NH |
$322,700±$30k 20% below NH |
$267,300±$23kLowest 34% below NH |
| Springfield and Effingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,096±$217 26% below NH |
$1,090±$121Lowest 27% below NH |
$1,243±$163Highest 17% below NH |
| Grafton and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,946Highest 11% below NH |
$5,163Lowest 23% below NH |
$5,239 21% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25.9%±64.8 NH: 48.2% |
13.6%±40.4Lowest NH: 48.2% |
32.1%±34.1Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Grafton and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
9%Highest NH: 7.2% |
7.7% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
90.2% NH: 72.8% |
83.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1982Lowest 3 yrs newer than NH |
1983 4 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 29% above NH |
32 minLowest 18% above NH |
43 minHighest 62% above NH |
| Work from home | 16.7%±11.6 NH: 16.8% |
16.1%±4.2Lowest NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±6.8Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Grafton and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | Governor Wentworth Regional School District | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
NH 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.