Compare towns
Brookfield vs Meredith vs Wolfeboro vs Lyman
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brookfield has the most homeowners (98.4%).
Meredith has the most people working from home (23.7%).
Wolfeboro has the most expensive homes ($547k median).
Lyman has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.8%).
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 | Brookfield | Meredith | Wolfeboro | Lyman |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 567 |
6,758Highest |
6,571 |
464Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% NH: +4.6% |
+6.7% NH: +4.6% |
+2.3%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.8%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 58.1±9.7 34% above NH |
55.5±3.7Lowest 28% above NH |
57±1.8 32% above NH |
60.8±6.5Highest 40% above NH |
| Lyman and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 8.6%±4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
12.6%±3.3 NH: 18.2% |
13.7%±3.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
12.3%±6.7 NH: 18.2% |
| Wolfeboro and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 38.4%±3.4 NH: 20.1% |
34.2%±5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
34.6%±5.2 NH: 20.1% |
38.6%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Lyman and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.8% NH: 40.6% |
45.9%Highest NH: 40.6% |
45% NH: 40.6% |
27.8%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±5Highest NH: 6% |
2.9%±1.2 NH: 6% |
2.8%±1.8 NH: 6% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
| Brookfield and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $81,406±$31k 18% below NH |
$87,019±$19k 12% below NH |
$94,375±$22kHighest 5% below NH |
$71,042±$17kLowest 28% below NH |
| Wolfeboro and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $428,000±$61k 6% above NH |
$480,100±$48k 19% above NH |
$546,500±$60kHighest 36% above NH |
$311,100±$66kLowest 23% below NH |
| Wolfeboro and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,149±$304Highest 23% below NH |
$1,103±$76Lowest 26% below NH |
$1,147±$81 23% below NH |
| Meredith and Lyman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,926Highest 11% below NH |
$5,006 25% below NH |
$4,531 32% below NH |
$3,981Lowest 40% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | — | 48.5%±9.2 NH: 48.2% |
12%±11.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
58.3%±100Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Lyman and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.9%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
7.7% NH: 7.2% |
8.2% NH: 7.2% |
14.7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 98.4%Highest NH: 72.8% |
75.8%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
78.1% NH: 72.8% |
89.3% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
1982 3 yrs newer than NH |
1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest about the NH average |
26 min about the NH average |
24 minLowest 11% below NH |
24 min 10% below NH |
| Work from home | 13.7%±6.8 NH: 16.8% |
23.7%±4.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
22.9%±6.6 NH: 16.8% |
3.7%±3.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| 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 | — | #62 of 120 in NH | #46 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | — | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | Governor Wentworth Regional School District | — |
| High school in town | — | Inter-Lakes High School | Kingswood Regional High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1 |
11.1 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
NH 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.