Compare towns
Exeter vs Freedom 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
Exeter has the most kids (17% under 18).
Freedom has the most homeowners (91%).
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 | Exeter | Freedom | Wolfeboro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,151Highest |
1,494Lowest |
6,571 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2% NH: +4.6% |
+13.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+2.3%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3Lowest 6% above NH |
60.6±3.2Highest 40% above NH |
57±1.8 32% above NH |
| Freedom and Wolfeboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17%±2.7Highest NH: 18.2% |
12.9%±5.4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
13.7%±3.3 NH: 18.2% |
| Exeter and Wolfeboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.4%±2.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
40.3%±4.7Highest NH: 20.1% |
34.6%±5.2 NH: 20.1% |
| Freedom and Wolfeboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 59.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
39.4%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
45% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.8Highest NH: 6% |
1.3%±1.5Lowest NH: 6% |
2.8%±1.8 NH: 6% |
| Exeter and Wolfeboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $110,346±$13kHighest 11% above NH |
$66,136±$14kLowest 33% below NH |
$94,375±$22k 5% below NH |
| Exeter and Wolfeboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $456,600±$21k 13% above NH |
$389,000±$43kLowest 3% below NH |
$546,500±$60kHighest 36% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,856±$223Highest 24% above NH |
— | $1,103±$76Lowest 26% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,814Highest 32% above NH |
$3,478Lowest 48% below NH |
$4,531 32% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±11.3 NH: 48.2% |
79.6%±75Highest NH: 48.2% |
12%±11.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Freedom and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
15%Highest NH: 7.2% |
8.2% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
91%Highest NH: 72.8% |
78.1% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Lowest same as NH |
1983Highest 4 yrs newer than NH |
1982 3 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 7% below NH |
26 minHighest about the NH average |
24 minLowest 11% below NH |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
18.5%±7.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
22.9%±6.6Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Wolfeboro and Exeter 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 | #22 of 120 in NH | — | #46 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Freedom School District | Governor Wentworth Regional School District |
| High school in town | Exeter High School | None in town | Kingswood Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Highest |
— | 11.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 59 photos → | 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.