Compare towns
Appleton vs Kingston vs Wolfeboro
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Appleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Kingston has the highest household income ($105k).
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.
| Measure | Appleton | Kingston | Wolfeboro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,360Lowest |
6,275 |
6,571Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4Lowest 26% above U.S. |
55.5±5.7 43% above U.S. |
57±1.8Highest 47% above U.S. |
| Wolfeboro and Kingston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.3%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.5%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
13.7%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Appleton and Wolfeboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.1%±9.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.7%±6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
34.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wolfeboro and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
45%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Appleton and Kingston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $53,618±$19kLowest 34% below U.S. |
$105,330±$12kHighest 30% above U.S. |
$94,375±$22k 17% above U.S. |
| Kingston and Wolfeboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $235,600±$33kLowest 29% below U.S. |
$492,900±$58k 48% above U.S. |
$546,500±$60kHighest 64% above U.S. |
| Wolfeboro and Kingston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,104±$82 22% below U.S. |
$1,393±$156Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,103±$76Lowest 22% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,588Lowest 15% above U.S. |
$7,906Highest 153% above U.S. |
$4,531 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±46.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
12%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Appleton and Kingston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
74.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982Lowest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982Lowest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 14% above U.S. |
34 minHighest 29% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 10% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.7%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.9%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Wolfeboro and Kingston 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 | — | #78 of 120 in NH | #46 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | Sanborn Regional School District | Governor Wentworth Regional School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Sanborn Regional High School | Kingswood Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.9Highest |
11.1Lowest |
| 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.