What stands out worked out from the figures below

Dudley has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.7%).

Wolfeboro has the most people working from home (22.9%).

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	Dudley	Wolfeboro
People
Population	11,929Highest	6,571Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	40.2±2.4Lowest 3% above U.S.	57±1.8Highest 47% above U.S.
Kids under 18	20.6%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22%	13.7%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	16.9%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	34.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	24.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	45%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	13.1%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4%	2.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$84,604±$12kLowest 5% above U.S.	$94,375±$22kHighest 17% above U.S.
	Wolfeboro and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$392,600±$19kLowest 18% above U.S.	$546,500±$60kHighest 64% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,217±$182Highest 14% below U.S.	$1,103±$76Lowest 22% below U.S.
	Dudley and Wolfeboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,691Lowest 18% above U.S.	$4,531Highest 45% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	47.4%±4.1Highest U.S.: 51.1%	12%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
Below poverty line	6.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	8.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	73.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	78.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S.	1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minHighest 4% above U.S.	24 minLowest 10% below U.S.
Work from home	9.1%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	22.9%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#142 of 282 in MA	#46 of 120 in NH
School district	Dudley-Charlton Reg	Governor Wentworth Regional School District
High school in town	Shepherd Hill Regional High	Kingswood Regional High School
Students per teacherat that high school	14.3Highest	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.