What stands out worked out from the figures below

Boxford has the highest household income ($201k).

Wolfeboro has the most affordable homes ($547k median).

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	Boxford	Wolfeboro
People
Population	8,208Highest	6,571Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	49.1±3.6Lowest 26% above U.S.	57±1.8Highest 47% above U.S.
Kids under 18	23.7%±5Highest U.S.: 22%	13.7%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	21.2%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	34.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	70.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	45%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.8%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4%	2.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Boxford and Wolfeboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$200,871±$21kHighest 149% above U.S.	$94,375±$22kLowest 17% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$907,000±$46kHighest 173% above U.S.	$546,500±$60kLowest 64% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$776±$13Lowest 45% below U.S.	$1,103±$76Highest 22% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S.	$4,531Lowest 45% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	67.2%±60.6Highest U.S.: 51.1%	12%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Boxford and Wolfeboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	3.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	8.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	94.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	78.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S.	1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minHighest 18% above U.S.	24 minLowest 10% below U.S.
Work from home	21.6%±5.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	22.9%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Wolfeboro and Boxford 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	#34 of 282 in MA	#46 of 120 in NH
School district	Boxford · Masconomet	Governor Wentworth Regional School District
High school in town	Masconomet Regional High School	Kingswood Regional High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.2Highest	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.