What stands out worked out from the figures below

Wakefield has the most kids (20% under 18).

Hampton Beach has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.2%).

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	Wakefield	Hampton Beach
People
Population	27,793Highest	2,605Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+8.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+14.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	42.4±1.7Lowest 9% above U.S.	60.4±2.4Highest 55% above U.S.
Kids under 18	20%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22%	3.1%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	19%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	33.7%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	59.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	34%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.4%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4%	0.6%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$134,306±$14kHighest 66% above U.S.	$82,557±$17kLowest about the U.S. average
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$723,500±$24kHighest 117% above U.S.	$508,900±$76kLowest 53% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,958±$102Highest 39% above U.S.	$1,375±$130Lowest about the U.S. average
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,779Highest 149% above U.S.	$6,115Lowest 96% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	43.7%±7.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	61.7%±20.2Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Hampton Beach and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	8.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	70.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	62.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S.	1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minHighest 26% above U.S.	25 minLowest 4% below U.S.
Work from home	24.6%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	26.9%±6.1Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Hampton Beach 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	#179 of 282 in MA	—
School district	Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield	—
High school in town	Northeast Metro Regional Vocational	—
Students per teacherat that high school	10.7	—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.