Compare towns
Wakefield vs Jericho vs Acton 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 most affordable homes ($323k median).
Jericho has the most people working from home (21.8%).
Acton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Brookfield has the oldest population (median age 58.1).
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 | Jericho | Acton | Brookfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,405Highest |
5,114 |
2,721 |
567Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.4±4.1Lowest 27% above U.S. |
49.7±5.1 28% above U.S. |
52.9±4.2 36% above U.S. |
58.1±9.7Highest 49% above U.S. |
| Brookfield and Acton 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% |
19.5%±4.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.1%±4 U.S.: 22% |
8.6%±4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Jericho and Wakefield 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% |
20.2%±4.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.2%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
38.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
65.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
24.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.5%±5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brookfield and Acton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $100,976±$11k 25% above U.S. |
$116,923±$16kHighest 45% above U.S. |
$78,750±$15kLowest about the U.S. average |
$81,406±$31k about the U.S. average |
| Jericho and Wakefield 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 |
$493,100±$38kHighest 48% above U.S. |
$334,300±$34k about the U.S. average |
$428,000±$61k 29% above U.S. |
| Jericho and Brookfield 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 |
$1,731±$111Highest 23% above U.S. |
— | — |
| Jericho and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,954 5% below U.S. |
$7,318Highest 135% above U.S. |
$2,680Lowest 14% below U.S. |
$5,926 90% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±82.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
79.3%±52.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
100%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
— |
| Acton and Jericho 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% |
0.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
96.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
98.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 same as U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1974Lowest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 36 min 35% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
40 minHighest 53% above U.S. |
27 min 3% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.1%±9.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.8%±6.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.2%±8.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.7%±6.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Jericho and Acton 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 | #6 of 70 in VT | #43 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Wakefield School District | Mount Mansfield Unified Union School District #401 | Acton Public Schools | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Mt. Mansfield Union High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.0 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.