What stands out worked out from the figures below

Amesbury has the most kids (20% under 18).

Wolfeboro has the most people working from home (22.9%).

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	Amesbury	Wolfeboro
People
Population	17,403Highest	6,571Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	+2.3% U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	43.7±1.7Lowest 12% above U.S.	57±1.8Highest 47% above U.S.
Kids under 18	20%±2.4Highest U.S.: 22%	13.7%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	18.2%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	34.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	44.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	45%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.1%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4%	2.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Amesbury and Wolfeboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$103,554±$12kHighest 28% above U.S.	$94,375±$22kLowest 17% above U.S.
	Amesbury and Wolfeboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$519,300±$32kLowest 56% above U.S.	$546,500±$60kHighest 64% above U.S.
	Wolfeboro and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,683±$115Highest 19% above U.S.	$1,103±$76Lowest 22% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,360Highest 136% above U.S.	$4,531Lowest 45% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	66.7%±10.7Highest U.S.: 51.1%	12%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
Below poverty line	7.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	8.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	68.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	78.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S.	1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	29 minHighest 10% above U.S.	24 minLowest 10% below U.S.
Work from home	17.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	22.9%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Wolfeboro and Amesbury 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	#151 of 282 in MA	#46 of 120 in NH
School district	Amesbury	Governor Wentworth Regional School District
High school in town	Amesbury High	Kingswood Regional High School
Students per teacherat that high school	10.9Lowest	11.1Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.