Compare towns
Wakefield vs Readfield vs Effingham
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 highest household income ($101k).
Readfield has the most people working from home (24.3%).
Effingham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+15.4%).
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 | Readfield | Effingham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,405Highest |
2,651 |
1,912Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
0%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+15.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.4±4.1Highest 27% above U.S. |
48.1±7.6 24% above U.S. |
46.9±12.4Lowest 21% above U.S. |
| Wakefield and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.5%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Effingham and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.8%±4.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.3%±4.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.7%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Readfield 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
48.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
20.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.1%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Readfield 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±$11kHighest 25% above U.S. |
$86,504±$8k 7% above U.S. |
$76,607±$14kLowest 5% below U.S. |
| Wakefield and Readfield 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 |
$326,400±$20kHighest about the U.S. average |
$322,700±$30kLowest 3% below U.S. |
| Readfield and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,375±$434Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,125±$844 20% below U.S. |
$1,090±$121Lowest 23% below U.S. |
| Wakefield and Readfield 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. |
$3,392 9% above U.S. |
$5,163Highest 66% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±82.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.3%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
13.6%±40.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Readfield and Effingham 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% |
5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 same as U.S. |
1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 35% above U.S. |
30 minLowest 12% above U.S. |
32 min 19% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.1%±9.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
24.3%±14.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.1%±4.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Readfield 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 | #20 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Wakefield School District | RSU 38 | Governor Wentworth Regional School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Maranacook Community High Sch | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.5 |
— |
| 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.