Compare towns
Wakefield vs Randolph vs Candia
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 people working from home (15.1%).
Randolph has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Candia has the most expensive homes ($416k median).
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 | Randolph | Candia |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,405Highest |
4,843 |
4,134Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.4±4.1Highest 27% above U.S. |
40.4±7.4Lowest 4% above U.S. |
48.3±3.8 24% above U.S. |
| Wakefield and Candia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±3.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.3%±4.4 U.S.: 22% |
12.8%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Wakefield and Randolph 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% |
22.9%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
23.1%±4.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Candia and Randolph 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
40.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
27.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
11.2%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $100,976±$11k 25% above U.S. |
$76,758±$6kLowest 5% below U.S. |
$119,737±$37kHighest 48% above U.S. |
| Candia 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 about the U.S. average |
$278,700±$38kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$415,600±$46kHighest 25% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,375±$434Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,172±$173Lowest 17% below U.S. |
$1,213±$554 14% below U.S. |
| Wakefield and Candia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,954Lowest 5% below U.S. |
$4,698 51% above U.S. |
$6,100Highest 96% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±82.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.1%±17.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±21.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Randolph and Wakefield 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% |
7.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
91.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest same as U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 35% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 22% below U.S. |
34 min 30% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.1%±9.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.9%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.8%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Wakefield and Randolph 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 | #55 of 70 in VT | #41 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Wakefield School District | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Candia School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Randolph Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.4 |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.