Compare towns
Wakefield vs Marlow vs Ossipee
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 most people working from home (15.1%).
Marlow has the highest household income ($110k).
Ossipee has the most renters (18% rent).
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 | Marlow | Ossipee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,405Highest |
855Lowest |
4,521 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+0.9% NH: +4.6% |
+0.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 49.4±4.1Lowest 14% above NH |
52.8±11.7Highest 22% above NH |
50±4.6 15% above NH |
| Marlow and Ossipee 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% |
20.5%±6.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
19.5%±4.5 NH: 18.2% |
| Marlow and Ossipee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.8%±4.7Lowest NH: 20.1% |
30.5%±5.7Highest NH: 20.1% |
26.3%±5.9 NH: 20.1% |
| Marlow and Ossipee 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% |
33.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
24.8%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±1.1Lowest NH: 6% |
3.3%±2.2Highest NH: 6% |
2.9%±1.7 NH: 6% |
| Marlow and Ossipee 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 about the NH average |
$110,455±$12kHighest 12% above NH |
$90,521±$22kLowest 9% below NH |
| Marlow 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 20% below NH |
$325,400±$49k 19% below NH |
$325,500±$23kHighest 19% below NH |
| Ossipee and Marlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,375±$434 8% below NH |
$1,154±$160Lowest 23% below NH |
$1,601±$245Highest 7% above NH |
| Ossipee 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 |
$5,826Highest 13% below NH |
$4,401 34% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±82.9Lowest NH: 48.2% |
18.2%±95.1 NH: 48.2% |
72%±16.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Ossipee and Marlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.2%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
8.9%Highest NH: 7.2% |
8.1% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.8%Highest NH: 72.8% |
92.6% NH: 72.8% |
82%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 1 yr newer than NH |
1981Highest 2 yrs newer than NH |
1979Lowest same as NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 34% above NH |
35 min 31% above NH |
33 minLowest 25% above NH |
| Work from home | 15.1%±9.3Highest NH: 16.8% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
5.3%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
| Wakefield and Ossipee 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 | — | #100 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Wakefield School District | Marlow 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 Our Story | 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.