What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Hampton has the oldest population (median age 55.8).

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
People
Population	27,793Highest	16,426Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+8.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+5.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	42.4±1.7Lowest 9% above U.S.	55.8±2.1Highest 43% above U.S.
Kids under 18	20%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22%	11.6%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	19%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	30.9%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	59.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	42.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.4%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4%	3.1%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Wakefield and Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$134,306±$14kHighest 66% above U.S.	$95,233±$9kLowest 18% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$723,500±$24kHighest 117% above U.S.	$550,200±$39kLowest 65% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,958±$102Highest 39% above U.S.	$1,628±$94Lowest 15% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,779Highest 149% above U.S.	$6,813Lowest 118% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	43.7%±7.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	56.8%±10.4Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Hampton 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%	5.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	70.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	73.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S.	1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minHighest 26% above U.S.	26 minLowest about the U.S. average
Work from home	24.6%±3.1Highest U.S.: 15.1%	21.7%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Wakefield and Hampton 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	#31 of 120 in NH
School district	Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield	Hampton School District · Winnacunnet Cooperative School District
High school in town	Northeast Metro Regional Vocational	Winnacunnet High School
Students per teacherat that high school	10.7Highest	10.1Lowest
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.