Compare towns
Ossipee vs Gorham vs Effingham 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
Ossipee has the oldest housing (typical home built 1979).
Gorham has the highest household income ($112k).
Effingham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+15.4%).
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 | Ossipee | Gorham | Effingham | Wolfeboro |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,521 |
18,300Highest |
1,912Lowest |
6,571 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+15.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50±4.6 29% above U.S. |
39.4±2.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
46.9±12.4 21% above U.S. |
57±1.8Highest 47% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 19.5%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.5%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
13.7%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Gorham and Ossipee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 26.3%±5.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.5%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.7%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
34.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wolfeboro and Ossipee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
20.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
45%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
13.1%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.1%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.8%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $90,521±$22k 12% above U.S. |
$112,312±$6kHighest 39% above U.S. |
$76,607±$14kLowest 5% below U.S. |
$94,375±$22k 17% above U.S. |
| Gorham and Wolfeboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $325,500±$23k about the U.S. average |
$460,900±$26k 39% above U.S. |
$322,700±$30kLowest 3% below U.S. |
$546,500±$60kHighest 64% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,601±$245 13% above U.S. |
$1,680±$355Highest 19% above U.S. |
$1,090±$121Lowest 23% below U.S. |
$1,103±$76 22% below U.S. |
| Gorham and Ossipee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,401Lowest 41% above U.S. |
$4,825 55% above U.S. |
$5,163Highest 66% above U.S. |
$4,531 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 72%±16.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
37.9%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
13.6%±40.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
12%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 8.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82% U.S.: 65.2% |
81.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 27% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
32 min 19% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 10% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 5.3%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.1%±4.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.9%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Wolfeboro and Gorham 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 | #100 of 120 in NH | #24 of 133 in ME | — | #46 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Governor Wentworth Regional School District | Gorham Public Schools | Governor Wentworth Regional School District | Governor Wentworth Regional School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Gorham High School | None in town | Kingswood Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.9Highest |
— | 11.1Lowest |
| 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.