What stands out worked out from the figures below

Wakefield has the most people working from home (15.1%).

New Durham has the youngest population (median age 46.5).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Wakefield	New Durham
People
Population	5,405Highest	2,748Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.4%Highest NH: +4.6%	+2.1%Lowest NH: +4.6%
Median age	49.4±4.1Highest 14% above NH	46.5±7.5Lowest 7% above NH
	Wakefield and New Durham 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%	14.8%±5.6Lowest NH: 18.2%
	Wakefield and New Durham 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%	23.8%±4Highest NH: 20.1%
	New Durham 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%Lowest NH: 40.6%	34.7%Highest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	1.4%±1.1Highest NH: 6%	1%±0.7Lowest NH: 6%
	Wakefield and New Durham 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 about the NH average	$100,194±$13kLowest about the NH average
	Wakefield and New Durham 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	$339,400±$27kHighest 16% below NH
	New Durham and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,375±$434Lowest 8% below NH	$1,417±$116Highest 5% below NH
	New Durham 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	$5,774Highest 13% below NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	0%±82.9Lowest NH: 48.2%	25%±42.7Highest NH: 48.2%
	New Durham and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	7.2%Highest NH: 7.2%	5.8%Lowest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	96.8%Highest NH: 72.8%	94%Lowest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1980Lowest 1 yr newer than NH	1983Highest 4 yrs newer than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	36 minHighest 34% above NH	35 minLowest 30% above NH
Work from home	15.1%±9.3Highest NH: 16.8%	10%±4.1Lowest NH: 16.8%
	Wakefield and New Durham 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	—
School district	Wakefield School District	Governor Wentworth Regional School District
High school in town	None in town	None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.