Compare towns
Wakefield vs Brookline vs Effingham
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 oldest population (median age 49.4).
Brookline has the highest household income ($171k).
Effingham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+15.4%).
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 | Brookline | Effingham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,405 |
5,736Highest |
1,912Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+13% NH: +4.6% |
+15.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 49.4±4.1Highest 14% above NH |
41.2±1.5Lowest 5% below NH |
46.9±12.4 8% above NH |
| Wakefield and Effingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±3.9Lowest NH: 18.2% |
26.7%±4Highest NH: 18.2% |
19.5%±4.5 NH: 18.2% |
| Brookline and Effingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.8%±4.7Highest NH: 20.1% |
11.4%±2.1Lowest NH: 20.1% |
18.7%±2.5 NH: 20.1% |
| Wakefield and Effingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.2% NH: 40.6% |
57.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
20.3%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±1.1 NH: 6% |
6.3%±3.2Highest NH: 6% |
1.1%±0.8Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $100,976±$11k about the NH average |
$171,046±$4kHighest 73% above NH |
$76,607±$14kLowest 23% below NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $322,800±$43k 20% below NH |
$544,400±$38kHighest 35% above NH |
$322,700±$30kLowest 20% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,375±$434 8% below NH |
$2,500±$1kHighest 68% above NH |
$1,090±$121Lowest 27% below 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 |
$5,163 23% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±82.9Lowest NH: 48.2% |
23.8%±43.5Highest NH: 48.2% |
13.6%±40.4 NH: 48.2% |
| Brookline and Effingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.2% NH: 7.2% |
0.6%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
9%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.8%Highest NH: 72.8% |
95.1% NH: 72.8% |
90.2%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Lowest 1 yr newer than NH |
1993Highest 14 yrs newer than NH |
1982 3 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 34% above NH |
33 min 25% above NH |
32 minLowest 18% above NH |
| Work from home | 15.1%±9.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
24.7%±5.8Highest NH: 16.8% |
16.1%±4.2 NH: 16.8% |
| Brookline and Effingham 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 | Governor Wentworth Regional School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.