What stands out worked out from the figures below

Wakefield has the most affordable homes ($323k median).

Brookline has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13%).

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	Brookline
People
Population	5,405Lowest	5,736Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.4%Lowest NH: +4.6%	+13%Highest NH: +4.6%
Median age	49.4±4.1Highest 14% above NH	41.2±1.5Lowest 5% below NH
Kids under 18	18.7%±3.9Lowest NH: 18.2%	26.7%±4Highest NH: 18.2%
Age 65+	18.8%±4.7Highest NH: 20.1%	11.4%±2.1Lowest NH: 20.1%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	26.2%Lowest NH: 40.6%	57.7%Highest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	1.4%±1.1Lowest NH: 6%	6.3%±3.2Highest NH: 6%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$100,976±$11kLowest about the NH average	$171,046±$4kHighest 73% above NH
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$322,800±$43kLowest 20% below NH	$544,400±$38kHighest 35% above NH
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,375±$434Lowest 8% below NH	$2,500±$1kHighest 68% above NH
	Brookline and Wakefield 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	$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	0%±82.9Lowest NH: 48.2%	23.8%±43.5Highest NH: 48.2%
	Brookline and Wakefield 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%	0.6%Lowest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	96.8%Highest NH: 72.8%	95.1%Lowest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1980Lowest 1 yr newer than NH	1993Highest 14 yrs newer than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	36 minHighest 34% above NH	33 minLowest 25% above NH
Work from home	15.1%±9.3Lowest NH: 16.8%	24.7%±5.8Highest NH: 16.8%
	Brookline 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	#23 of 120 in NH
School district	Wakefield School District	Brookline School District
High school in town	None in town	None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.