Compare towns
Wakefield vs Strong 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).
Strong has the most affordable homes ($184k median).
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 | Strong | Effingham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,405Highest |
1,249Lowest |
1,912 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
-7.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+15.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.4±4.1Highest 27% above U.S. |
47.5±8.9 22% above U.S. |
46.9±12.4Lowest 21% above U.S. |
| Wakefield and Strong 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% |
19.5%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.5%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 18.8%±4.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
22%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.7%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Strong 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% |
26.5%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% |
2.1%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.1%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Strong 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. |
$47,557±$10kLowest 41% below U.S. |
$76,607±$14k 5% below U.S. |
| Wakefield and Effingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $322,800±$43kHighest about the U.S. average |
$183,900±$29kLowest 45% below U.S. |
$322,700±$30k 3% below U.S. |
| Wakefield and Effingham 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 |
$920±$276Lowest 35% below U.S. |
$1,090±$121 23% below U.S. |
| Wakefield and Effingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,954 5% below U.S. |
$1,950Lowest 37% below U.S. |
$5,163Highest 66% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±82.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
20.9%±52.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
13.6%±40.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Strong and Effingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 same as U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 35% above U.S. |
31 minLowest 18% above U.S. |
32 min 19% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.1%±9.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.5%±9.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.1%±4.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Strong 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 | — | — |
| School district | Wakefield School District | RSU 58/MSAD 58 | Governor Wentworth Regional School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.