What stands out worked out from the figures below

Ossipee has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.6%).

Lempster has the most affordable homes ($242k 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Ossipee	Lempster
People
Population	4,521Highest	953Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+0.6%Highest NH: +4.6%	-3.1%Lowest NH: +4.6%
Median age	50±4.6Lowest 15% above NH	50.8±7.2Highest 17% above NH
	Lempster and Ossipee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	19.5%±4.5Highest NH: 18.2%	12.8%±4.1Lowest NH: 18.2%
	Ossipee and Lempster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	26.3%±5.9Highest NH: 20.1%	25.4%±3.5Lowest NH: 20.1%
	Ossipee and Lempster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	24.8%Lowest NH: 40.6%	28.5%Highest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.9%±1.7Lowest NH: 6%	6.1%±2.6Highest NH: 6%
	Lempster and Ossipee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$90,521±$22kHighest 9% below NH	$86,607±$12kLowest 13% below NH
	Ossipee and Lempster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$325,500±$23kHighest 19% below NH	$241,900±$29kLowest 40% below NH
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,601±$245 7% above NH	—
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,401Lowest 34% below NH	$4,558Highest 32% below NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	72%±16.3Lowest NH: 48.2%	100%±100Highest NH: 48.2%
	Lempster and Ossipee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	8.1%Highest NH: 7.2%	7.2%Lowest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	82%Lowest NH: 72.8%	98.2%Highest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1979Highest same as NH	1977Lowest 2 yrs older than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minLowest 25% above NH	37 minHighest 40% above NH
Work from home	5.3%±3.7Highest NH: 16.8%	5%±2.5Lowest NH: 16.8%
	Ossipee and Lempster 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	—
School district	Governor Wentworth Regional School District	Lempster School District
High school in town	None in town	None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.