What stands out worked out from the figures below

Center Harbor has the oldest population (median age 60.4).

Middlesex has the most people working from home (28.4%).

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	Center Harbor	Middlesex
People
Population	955Lowest	1,943Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-5.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+2.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	60.4±4.8Highest 55% above U.S.	44.4±3.9Lowest 14% above U.S.
Kids under 18	11.9%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 22%	21.3%±3.1Highest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	39.5%±13.2Highest U.S.: 17.2%	20.6%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	47.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	54.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	0.9%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	5.2%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$104,313±$16kLowest 29% above U.S.	$109,632±$13kHighest 36% above U.S.
	Middlesex and Center Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$463,800±$74kHighest 39% above U.S.	$376,300±$40kLowest 13% above U.S.
	Center Harbor and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	—	$1,333±$359 6% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,667Lowest 50% above U.S.	$6,483Highest 108% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	14.3%±59.4Highest U.S.: 51.1%	0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Center Harbor and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	3.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	91%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	96.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1982Lowest 2 yrs newer than U.S.	1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	25 minLowest 7% below U.S.	27 minHighest 4% above U.S.
Work from home	8.9%±5Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	28.4%±10.7Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
School district	—	Washington Central Unified Union School District #92
High school 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.