What stands out worked out from the figures below

Belgrade has the most people working from home (20.4%).

Ossipee has the most renters (18% rent).

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	Belgrade	Ossipee
People
Population	3,351Lowest	4,521Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+1.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+0.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	47.3±14.6Lowest 22% above U.S.	50±4.6Highest 29% above U.S.
	Ossipee and Belgrade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	22.6%±6.9Highest U.S.: 22%	19.5%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Belgrade and Ossipee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	23.9%±6.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	26.3%±5.9Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Ossipee and Belgrade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	49.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	24.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.7%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4%	2.9%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Belgrade and Ossipee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$88,338±$13kLowest 9% above U.S.	$90,521±$22kHighest 12% above U.S.
	Ossipee and Belgrade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$312,200±$44kLowest 6% below U.S.	$325,500±$23kHighest about the U.S. average
	Ossipee and Belgrade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$857±$108Lowest 39% below U.S.	$1,601±$245Highest 13% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$2,859Lowest 8% below U.S.	$4,401Highest 41% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	17.2%±35.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	72%±16.3Highest U.S.: 51.1%
Below poverty line	3.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	8.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	93.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	82%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S.	1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	23 minLowest 13% below U.S.	33 minHighest 27% above U.S.
Work from home	20.4%±8.6Highest U.S.: 15.1%	5.3%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#71 of 133 in ME	#100 of 120 in NH
School district	RSU 18	Governor Wentworth Regional School District
High school in town	None in town	None in town
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.