Compare towns
Enfield vs Bow vs Meredith vs Wolfeboro
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Enfield has the most affordable homes ($391k median).
Bow has the most kids (25% under 18).
Meredith has the most people working from home (23.7%).
Wolfeboro has the most expensive 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.
| Measure | Enfield | Bow | Meredith | Wolfeboro |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,475Lowest |
8,335Highest |
6,758 |
6,571 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+6.7% NH: +4.6% |
+2.3% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 58.3±5.4Highest 35% above NH |
41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH |
55.5±3.7 28% above NH |
57±1.8 32% above NH |
| Enfield and Wolfeboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 7.9%±4.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
12.6%±3.3 NH: 18.2% |
13.7%±3.3 NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 30.7%±7.6 NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
34.2%±5 NH: 20.1% |
34.6%±5.2Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Wolfeboro and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
60.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
45.9% NH: 40.6% |
45% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±3.4Lowest NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9Highest NH: 6% |
2.9%±1.2 NH: 6% |
2.8%±1.8 NH: 6% |
| Bow and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $95,474±$19k 4% below NH |
$172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
$87,019±$19kLowest 12% below NH |
$94,375±$22k 5% below NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $390,800±$71kLowest about the NH average |
$506,500±$34k 26% above NH |
$480,100±$48k 19% above NH |
$546,500±$60kHighest 36% above NH |
| Wolfeboro and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,181±$563 21% below NH |
$1,539±$178Highest 3% above NH |
$1,149±$304 23% below NH |
$1,103±$76Lowest 26% below NH |
| Bow and Enfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,203 7% below NH |
$9,584Highest 44% above NH |
$5,006 25% below NH |
$4,531Lowest 32% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 17.8%±16.7 NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
48.5%±9.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
12%±11.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Meredith and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 16.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
7.7% NH: 7.2% |
8.2% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.1% NH: 72.8% |
87.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
75.8%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
78.1% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 4 yrs newer than NH |
1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
1982 3 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 11% below NH |
27 minHighest about the NH average |
26 min about the NH average |
24 minLowest 11% below NH |
| Work from home | 11%±5.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
23.7%±4.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
22.9%±6.6 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 | #5 of 120 in NH | #26 of 120 in NH | #62 of 120 in NH | #46 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Mascoma Valley Regional School District | Bow School District | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | Governor Wentworth Regional School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Bow High School | Inter-Lakes High School | Kingswood Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8Highest |
11.1Lowest |
11.1Lowest |
| 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.