Compare towns
Wakefield vs Fair Haven vs Brookfield
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 highest household income ($101k).
Fair Haven has the most affordable homes ($177k median).
Brookfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6%).
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 | Fair Haven | Brookfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,405Highest |
2,724 |
567Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.4±4.1 27% above U.S. |
39.2±7.6Lowest about the U.S. average |
58.1±9.7Highest 49% above U.S. |
| Brookfield and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±5.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
8.6%±4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Fair Haven and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.8%±4.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.4%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
38.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
23.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.5%±5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brookfield and Fair Haven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $100,976±$11kHighest 25% above U.S. |
$62,404±$16kLowest 23% below U.S. |
$81,406±$31k about the U.S. average |
| Wakefield and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $322,800±$43k about the U.S. average |
$176,500±$14kLowest 47% below U.S. |
$428,000±$61kHighest 29% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,375±$434Highest about the U.S. average |
$830±$116Lowest 41% below U.S. |
— |
| Wakefield and Fair Haven 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. |
$3,865 24% above U.S. |
$5,926Highest 90% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±82.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.9%±20.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
— |
| Fair Haven and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
18.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
98.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest same as U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 35% above U.S. |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
27 minLowest 3% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.1%±9.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
4.3%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.7%±6.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Wakefield and Brookfield 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 | #66 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Wakefield School District | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Fair Haven Union Middle and High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 12 photos → | 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.