Compare towns
Sumner vs Wakefield vs Garland
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sumner has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.9%).
Wakefield has the highest household income ($101k).
Garland has the shortest commute (26 min average).
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 | Sumner | Wakefield | Garland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 845 |
5,405Highest |
823Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
-7.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 56.1±8.4Highest 44% above U.S. |
49.4±4.1Lowest 27% above U.S. |
53.5±4.3 38% above U.S. |
| Sumner and Garland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±6.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±3.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
18%±4.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Wakefield and Garland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.7%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.8%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.2%±4.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Sumner and Garland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 15.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
26.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
16.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.4%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.7%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Garland and Sumner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $57,750±$19k 28% below U.S. |
$100,976±$11kHighest 25% above U.S. |
$51,094±$12kLowest 37% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $150,000±$73kLowest 55% below U.S. |
$322,800±$43kHighest about the U.S. average |
$205,400±$38k 38% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,375±$434Highest about the U.S. average |
$794±$248Lowest 44% below U.S. |
| Wakefield and Garland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,167 31% below U.S. |
$2,954Highest 5% below U.S. |
$1,536Lowest 51% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±82.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.7%±46.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Sumner and Garland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
19.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
96.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 42 minHighest 60% above U.S. |
36 min 35% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 18.5%±8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±9.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.9%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Sumner and Wakefield 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 | — | #118 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | RSU 10 | Wakefield School District | — |
| High school 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.