Compare towns

Ossipee vs Townsend 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 most affordable homes ($326k median).
Townsend has the highest household income ($122k).
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.

MeasureOssipeeTownsendWolfeboro
People
Population
4,521Lowest
9,100Highest
6,571
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+0.6%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+2.3%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
+2.3%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
50±4.6
29% above U.S.
40.9±3.3Lowest
5% above U.S.
57±1.8Highest
47% above U.S.
Kids under 18
19.5%±4.5
U.S.: 22%
21%±3.2Highest
U.S.: 22%
13.7%±3.3Lowest
U.S.: 22%
Townsend 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%
17.1%±2.1Lowest
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%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
35.5%
U.S.: 35.7%
45%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
2.9%±1.7
U.S.: 6.4%
5.1%±2.4Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
2.8%±1.8Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
Townsend 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±$22kLowest
12% above U.S.
$121,528±$23kHighest
51% above U.S.
$94,375±$22k
17% above U.S.
Townsend 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±$23kLowest
about the U.S. average
$433,200±$22k
30% above U.S.
$546,500±$60kHighest
64% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,601±$245Highest
13% above U.S.
$1,469±$313
4% above U.S.
$1,103±$76Lowest
22% below U.S.
Ossipee and Townsend 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.
$6,031Highest
93% above U.S.
$4,531
45% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
72%±16.3Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
50.6%±16.8
U.S.: 51.1%
12%±11.6Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
Ossipee and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
8.1%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
8.9%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
8.2%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
82%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
82%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
78.1%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1979
1 yr older than U.S.
1976Lowest
4 yrs older than U.S.
1982Highest
2 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
33 min
27% above U.S.
37 minHighest
41% above U.S.
24 minLowest
10% below U.S.
Work from home
5.3%±3.7Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
10.5%±2.8
U.S.: 15.1%
22.9%±6.6Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #100 of 120 in NH #136 of 282 in MA #46 of 120 in NH
School district Governor Wentworth Regional School District North Middlesex Governor Wentworth Regional School District
High school in town None in town North Middlesex Regional Kingswood Regional High School
Students per teacherat that high school —
13.1Highest
11.1Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History 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.