Compare towns
Wakefield vs Mapleton vs Effingham 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%).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Effingham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+15.4%).
Milton has the most people working from home (18.9%).
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 | Mapleton | Effingham | Milton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,405Highest |
1,884Lowest |
1,912 |
4,538 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+15.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.4±4.1Highest 27% above U.S. |
41.8±6Lowest 7% above U.S. |
46.9±12.4 21% above U.S. |
45.7±2.4 17% above U.S. |
| 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%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
22.2%±5.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.5%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
18.4%±5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Mapleton 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.3%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.7%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.1%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
34.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
20.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
21.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.1%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.3%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Mapleton 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. |
$91,731±$25k 14% above U.S. |
$76,607±$14kLowest 5% below U.S. |
$94,493±$27k 17% above U.S. |
| Wakefield and Milton 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 |
$191,800±$23kLowest 42% below U.S. |
$322,700±$30k 3% below U.S. |
$318,400±$34k 4% below U.S. |
| Wakefield and Effingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,375±$434 about the U.S. average |
$610±$277Lowest 57% below U.S. |
$1,090±$121 23% below U.S. |
$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 | $2,954 5% below U.S. |
$1,789Lowest 43% below U.S. |
$5,163 66% above U.S. |
$5,663Highest 82% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±82.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
16.7%±10.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
13.6%±40.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
63.7%±24.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 7.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 same as U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 35% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 5% above U.S. |
32 min 19% above U.S. |
33 min 26% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.1%±9.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.1%±4.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.9%±6.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Milton 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 | — | — | #116 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Wakefield School District | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Governor Wentworth Regional School District | Milton School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None 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 | 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.