Compare towns
Wakefield vs Andover vs Loudon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wakefield has the most kids (18.7% under 18).
Andover has the most people working from home (29.6%).
Loudon has the highest household income ($107k).
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 | Andover | Loudon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,405 |
616Lowest |
5,692Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +4.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.4±4.1 27% above U.S. |
49.2±5.1Lowest 26% above U.S. |
49.5±3.2Highest 27% above U.S. |
| Loudon and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±3.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
11.5%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.8%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
| 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.7%±4.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22%±4.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Andover 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
43.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
29.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.8%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.4%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Andover and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $100,976±$11kLowest 25% above U.S. |
$102,500±$38k 27% above U.S. |
$106,966±$16kHighest 32% above U.S. |
| Loudon and Andover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $322,800±$43kLowest about the U.S. average |
$382,900±$68kHighest 15% above U.S. |
$363,400±$48k 9% above U.S. |
| Andover and Loudon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,375±$434 about the U.S. average |
$1,389±$364Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,321±$465Lowest 7% below U.S. |
| Andover and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,954Lowest 5% below U.S. |
$5,190 66% above U.S. |
$5,821Highest 87% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±82.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
69.4%±47.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.5%±30.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Andover and Loudon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Lowest same as U.S. |
1980Lowest same as U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 35% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 5% below U.S. |
30 min 15% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.1%±9.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
29.6%±12.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.9%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Andover 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 | — | #99 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Wakefield School District | — | Merrimack Valley 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.