Compare towns

Wakefield vs Windsor 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).
Windsor has the most renters (42.2% rent).
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.

MeasureWakefieldWindsorEffingham
People
Population
5,405Highest
3,554
1,912Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+2.4%
U.S.: +7.4%
+0.2%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+15.4%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
49.4±4.1Highest
27% above U.S.
44.8±6.5Lowest
15% above U.S.
46.9±12.4
21% above U.S.
Wakefield and Effingham 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%±5.2Highest
U.S.: 22%
19.5%±4.5Highest
U.S.: 22%
Age 65+
18.8%±4.7
U.S.: 17.2%
29.7%±6.9Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
18.7%±2.5Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
Windsor 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%
39.7%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
20.3%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
1.4%±1.1Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
0.7%±0.8Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
1.1%±0.8
U.S.: 6.4%
Wakefield and Effingham 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.
$52,484±$11kLowest
35% 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
$207,500±$31kLowest
38% 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
$1,026±$89Lowest
27% 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
$2,954Lowest
5% below U.S.
$5,209Highest
67% above U.S.
$5,163
66% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
0%±82.9Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
31.5%±17Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
13.6%±40.4
U.S.: 51.1%
Windsor 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%
7.8%
U.S.: 12.5%
9%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
96.8%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
57.8%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
90.2%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1980
same as U.S.
1945Lowest
35 yrs older than U.S.
1982Highest
2 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
36 minHighest
35% above U.S.
23 minLowest
14% below U.S.
32 min
19% above U.S.
Work from home
15.1%±9.3
U.S.: 15.1%
10.3%±5Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
16.1%±4.2Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
Effingham 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 #61 of 70 in VT —
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 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.