Compare towns
Wakefield vs Heath vs Milton
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 homeowners (96.8%).
Heath has the most people working from home (31.7%).
Milton has the youngest population (median age 45.7).
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 | Heath | Milton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,405Highest |
765Lowest |
4,538 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.4±4.1 27% above U.S. |
53.8±11.9Highest 38% above U.S. |
45.7±2.4Lowest 17% above U.S. |
| Heath 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% |
13.1%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.4%±5 U.S.: 22% |
| Wakefield and Milton 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% |
33.6%±8.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.1%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
46.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
21.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±2.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.3%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Heath and Milton 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. |
$98,750±$23k 22% above U.S. |
$94,493±$27kLowest 17% above U.S. |
| Wakefield and Heath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $322,800±$43kHighest about the U.S. average |
$295,000±$45kLowest 11% below U.S. |
$318,400±$34k 4% below U.S. |
| Wakefield and Milton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,375±$434Lowest about the U.S. average |
— | $1,587±$318Highest 12% above U.S. |
| Milton 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. |
$4,438 42% above U.S. |
$5,663Highest 82% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±82.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
40%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
63.7%±24.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Milton and Heath 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% |
6.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Lowest same as U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1980Lowest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 35% above U.S. |
35 min 32% above U.S. |
33 minLowest 26% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.1%±9.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
31.7%±17.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.9%±6.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Heath and Milton 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 | — | #116 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Wakefield School District | — | Milton School District |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Nute High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.6 |
| 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.