Compare towns
Wakefield vs Milton vs Alton
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 homeowners (96.8%).
Milton has the most people working from home (18.9%).
Alton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.3%).
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 | Milton | Alton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,405 |
4,538Lowest |
5,994Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.4% NH: +4.6% |
-2.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+12.3%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 49.4±4.1 14% above NH |
45.7±2.4Lowest 6% above NH |
53.7±3.2Highest 24% above NH |
| Alton 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 NH: 18.2% |
18.4%±5 NH: 18.2% |
13.4%±4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| 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 NH: 20.1% |
16.1%±3.4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
25.1%±4.5Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Alton and Wakefield 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% |
21.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
35.8%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±1.1 NH: 6% |
2.3%±1.8Highest NH: 6% |
0.8%±0.8Lowest NH: 6% |
| Milton and Wakefield 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 |
$94,493±$27kLowest 5% below NH |
$113,715±$19kHighest 15% above NH |
| Alton 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±$43k 20% below NH |
$318,400±$34kLowest 21% below NH |
$430,400±$37kHighest 7% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,375±$434Lowest 8% below NH |
$1,587±$318Highest 6% above NH |
— |
| 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 56% below NH |
$5,663Highest 15% below NH |
$4,183 37% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±82.9Lowest NH: 48.2% |
63.7%±24.9Highest NH: 48.2% |
31.7%±27.7 NH: 48.2% |
| Milton and Alton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.2% NH: 7.2% |
8.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.1%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.8%Highest NH: 72.8% |
86.3%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
93.7% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 1 yr newer than NH |
1980Highest 1 yr newer than NH |
1974Lowest 5 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 34% above NH |
33 min 25% above NH |
33 minLowest 24% above NH |
| Work from home | 15.1%±9.3 NH: 16.8% |
18.9%±6.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
13.1%±5.2Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Milton and Wakefield 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 | #72 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Wakefield School District | Milton School District | Prospect Mountain JMA School District · Alton School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Nute High School | Prospect Mountain High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.6Lowest |
11.1Highest |
| 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.