Compare towns
Bath vs Meredith vs Wolfeboro vs Ellsworth
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bath has the most renters (35.7% rent).
Meredith has the most people working from home (23.7%).
Wolfeboro has the most expensive homes ($547k median).
Ellsworth has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.5%).
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 | Bath | Meredith | Wolfeboro | Ellsworth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,815Highest |
6,758 |
6,571Lowest |
8,657 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.4±3 17% above U.S. |
55.5±3.7 43% above U.S. |
57±1.8Highest 47% above U.S. |
43±2.4Lowest 11% above U.S. |
| Wolfeboro and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
12.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
13.7%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
18.4%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Ellsworth and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
34.2%±5 U.S.: 17.2% |
34.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.1%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wolfeboro and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
45.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
45% U.S.: 35.7% |
39.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bath and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $69,390±$12kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$87,019±$19k 8% above U.S. |
$94,375±$22kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$77,375±$18k 4% below U.S. |
| Wolfeboro and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $310,900±$30k 7% below U.S. |
$480,100±$48k 44% above U.S. |
$546,500±$60kHighest 64% above U.S. |
$242,300±$22kLowest 27% below U.S. |
| Wolfeboro and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,044±$116 26% below U.S. |
$1,149±$304Highest 19% below U.S. |
$1,103±$76 22% below U.S. |
$1,017±$195Lowest 28% below U.S. |
| Meredith and Wolfeboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,847 23% above U.S. |
$5,006Highest 61% above U.S. |
$4,531 45% above U.S. |
$3,262Lowest 5% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
48.5%±9.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
12%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
62.1%±15.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ellsworth and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
78.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
66.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 9% below U.S. |
26 minHighest about the U.S. average |
24 minLowest 10% below U.S. |
25 min 7% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6 U.S.: 15.1% |
23.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.9%±6.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.1%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Meredith and Wolfeboro 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 | #31 of 133 in ME | #62 of 120 in NH | #46 of 120 in NH | #63 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | Governor Wentworth Regional School District | Ellsworth Public Schools |
| High school in town | Morse High School | Inter-Lakes High School | Kingswood Regional High School | Ellsworth High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
11.1Lowest |
11.1Lowest |
12.7 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 5 photos → |
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.