Compare towns
Hampton vs Rochester vs Wareham vs Wolfeboro
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hampton has the most renters (25.5% rent).
Rochester has the most kids (20.1% under 18).
Wareham has the most affordable homes ($425k median).
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.
| Measure | Hampton | Rochester | Wareham | Wolfeboro |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,101 |
5,837Lowest |
23,302Highest |
6,571 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 51.2±1.7 32% above U.S. |
46.5±6Lowest 20% above U.S. |
52.1±3.1 34% above U.S. |
57±1.8Highest 47% above U.S. |
| Wolfeboro and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.6%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
20.1%±4.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.1%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
13.7%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Rochester and Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 26.9%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.1%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.2%±3.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
34.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wolfeboro and Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
27.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
45%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Wareham and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $97,163±$4k 20% above U.S. |
$120,273±$12kHighest 49% above U.S. |
$90,383±$11kLowest 12% above U.S. |
$94,375±$22k 17% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $545,300±$63k 64% above U.S. |
$599,100±$31kHighest 80% above U.S. |
$424,500±$21kLowest 28% above U.S. |
$546,500±$60k 64% above U.S. |
| Rochester and Wolfeboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,654±$93Highest 17% above U.S. |
$1,432±$743 about the U.S. average |
$1,504±$180 6% above U.S. |
$1,103±$76Lowest 22% below U.S. |
| Hampton and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,872Highest 120% above U.S. |
$6,530 109% above U.S. |
$4,341Lowest 39% above U.S. |
$4,531 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.9%±13.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
39.1%±10.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
51.4%±23.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
12%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Wareham and Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
78.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1958Lowest 22 yrs older than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the U.S. average |
37 minHighest 38% above U.S. |
28 min 4% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 10% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 20.5%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
8.3%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.4%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.9%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Wolfeboro and Hampton 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 | #31 of 120 in NH | #104 of 282 in MA | #272 of 282 in MA | #46 of 120 in NH |
| School district | — | Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical · Rochester | Wareham | Governor Wentworth Regional School District |
| High school in town | — | Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical | Wareham Senior High | Kingswood Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.1 |
8.6Lowest |
11.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 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.