What stands out worked out from the figures below

Barre has the most affordable homes ($394k median).

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	Barre	Wolfeboro
People
Population	5,572Lowest	6,571Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	43.8±8.5Lowest 13% above U.S.	57±1.8Highest 47% above U.S.
Kids under 18	15.8%±5.4Highest U.S.: 22%	13.7%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Barre and Wolfeboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	19%±5.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	34.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	31.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	45%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.4%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4%	2.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Barre and Wolfeboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$107,727±$13kHighest 33% above U.S.	$94,375±$22kLowest 17% above U.S.
	Barre and Wolfeboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$394,300±$55kLowest 19% above U.S.	$546,500±$60kHighest 64% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,030±$713Lowest 27% below U.S.	$1,103±$76Highest 22% below U.S.
	Wolfeboro and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,163Highest 66% above U.S.	$4,531Lowest 45% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	38.2%±27.5Highest U.S.: 51.1%	12%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Barre and Wolfeboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	8.2% U.S.: 12.5%	8.2% U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	75.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	78.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S.	1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	36 minHighest 37% above U.S.	24 minLowest 10% below U.S.
Work from home	11.2%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	22.9%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#134 of 282 in MA	#46 of 120 in NH
School district	Quabbin	Governor Wentworth Regional School District
High school in town	Quabbin 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

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.