What stands out worked out from the figures below

Peterborough has the most renters (43.7% rent).

Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).

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	Peterborough	Wells
People
Population	6,408Lowest	11,713Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+18%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	52.1±1.9Lowest 34% above U.S.	53.6±3.8Highest 38% above U.S.
	Wells and Peterborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	16.3%±5.1Lowest U.S.: 22%	18%±3.4Highest U.S.: 22%
	Wells and Peterborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	30.6%±5.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	31%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Wells and Peterborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	62.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	43.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	4.5%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Wells and Peterborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$98,401±$8kHighest 22% above U.S.	$88,024±$11kLowest 9% above U.S.
	Peterborough and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$404,500±$31kLowest 22% above U.S.	$485,300±$23kHighest 46% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,395±$209Highest about the U.S. average	$1,350±$297Lowest 4% below U.S.
	Peterborough and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$8,655Highest 177% above U.S.	$3,215Lowest 3% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	29.2%±7.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	42.1%±19.6Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Wells and Peterborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	6.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	56.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	90.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1970Lowest 10 yrs older than U.S.	1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	23 minLowest 15% below U.S.	28 minHighest 4% above U.S.
Work from home	15.8%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	17.8%±4.2Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Wells and Peterborough 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	#59 of 120 in NH	#22 of 133 in ME
School district	Contoocook Valley School District	Wells-Ogunquit CSD
High school in town	Conval Regional High School	Wells High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.0Highest	11.4Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.