Compare towns

Ossipee vs Ware 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 homeowners (82%).
Ware has the youngest population (median age 43.1).
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.

MeasureOssipeeWareWolfeboro
People
Population
4,521Lowest
10,048Highest
6,571
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+0.6%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+2%
U.S.: +7.4%
+2.3%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
50±4.6
29% above U.S.
43.1±4.7Lowest
11% above U.S.
57±1.8Highest
47% above U.S.
Kids under 18
19.5%±4.5Highest
U.S.: 22%
19.1%±3.5
U.S.: 22%
13.7%±3.3Lowest
U.S.: 22%
Ossipee and Ware 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%
20.6%±3.4Lowest
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%
24%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
45%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
2.9%±1.7
U.S.: 6.4%
4.4%±2.2Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
2.8%±1.8Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
Ware 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±$22k
12% above U.S.
$67,475±$15kLowest
16% below U.S.
$94,375±$22kHighest
17% above U.S.
Wolfeboro and Ossipee 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
$289,700±$28kLowest
13% below U.S.
$546,500±$60kHighest
64% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,601±$245Highest
13% above U.S.
$1,043±$109Lowest
26% below U.S.
$1,103±$76
22% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$4,401
41% above U.S.
$4,237Lowest
36% above U.S.
$4,531Highest
45% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
72%±16.3Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
64.3%±16.2
U.S.: 51.1%
12%±11.6Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
Ossipee and Ware 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%
11.8%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
8.2%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
82%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
72.3%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
78.1%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1979
1 yr older than U.S.
1960Lowest
20 yrs older than U.S.
1982Highest
2 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
33 minHighest
27% above U.S.
28 min
8% above U.S.
24 minLowest
10% below U.S.
Work from home
5.3%±3.7Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
12.3%±3.8
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 #267 of 282 in MA #46 of 120 in NH
School district Governor Wentworth Regional School District Ware Governor Wentworth Regional School District
High school in town None in town Ware Junior/Senior High School Kingswood Regional High School
Students per teacherat that high school —
11.1
11.1
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.