Compare towns
Wakefield vs Alton vs Loudon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wakefield has the most people working from home (15.1%).
Alton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.3%).
Loudon has the shortest commute (30 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 | Wakefield | Alton | Loudon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,405Lowest |
5,994Highest |
5,692 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+12.3%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+4.9% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 49.4±4.1Lowest 14% above NH |
53.7±3.2Highest 24% above NH |
49.5±3.2 14% above NH |
| Alton and Loudon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±3.9Highest NH: 18.2% |
13.4%±4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
16.8%±4.2 NH: 18.2% |
| Wakefield and Loudon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.8%±4.7Lowest NH: 20.1% |
25.1%±4.5Highest NH: 20.1% |
22%±4.4 NH: 20.1% |
| Alton and Loudon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
35.8%Highest NH: 40.6% |
29.3% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±1.1Highest NH: 6% |
0.8%±0.8Lowest NH: 6% |
1.4%±1.1Highest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $100,976±$11kLowest about the NH average |
$113,715±$19kHighest 15% above NH |
$106,966±$16k 8% above NH |
| Alton and Loudon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $322,800±$43kLowest 20% below NH |
$430,400±$37kHighest 7% above NH |
$363,400±$48k 10% below NH |
| Alton and Loudon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,375±$434Highest 8% below NH |
— | $1,321±$465Lowest 11% below NH |
| Wakefield and Loudon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,954Lowest 56% below NH |
$4,183 37% below NH |
$5,821Highest 13% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±82.9Lowest NH: 48.2% |
31.7%±27.7 NH: 48.2% |
45.5%±30.4Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Loudon and Alton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.2%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.1%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4.4% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.8%Highest NH: 72.8% |
93.7% NH: 72.8% |
89.6%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 1 yr newer than NH |
1974Lowest 5 yrs older than NH |
1988Highest 9 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 34% above NH |
33 min 24% above NH |
30 minLowest 14% above NH |
| Work from home | 15.1%±9.3Highest NH: 16.8% |
13.1%±5.2 NH: 16.8% |
8.9%±4.9Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Wakefield and Alton 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 | #72 of 120 in NH | #99 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Wakefield School District | Prospect Mountain JMA School District · Alton School District | Merrimack Valley School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Prospect Mountain High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1 |
— |
| 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.