What stands out worked out from the figures below

Standish has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.7%).

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.

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

Measure	Standish	Wolfeboro
People
Population	10,662Highest	6,571Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	40.5±2.8Lowest 4% above U.S.	57±1.8Highest 47% above U.S.
Kids under 18	16.4%±3.1Highest U.S.: 22%	13.7%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Standish and Wolfeboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	15.2%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	34.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	36%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	45%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	11.6%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4%	2.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$104,593±$15kHighest 30% above U.S.	$94,375±$22kLowest 17% above U.S.
	Standish and Wolfeboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$336,000±$18kLowest about the U.S. average	$546,500±$60kHighest 64% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$983±$453Lowest 30% below U.S.	$1,103±$76Highest 22% below U.S.
	Wolfeboro and Standish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,005Lowest 4% below U.S.	$4,531Highest 45% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	57.4%±22.3Highest U.S.: 51.1%	12%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
Below poverty line	7.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	8.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	91.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	78.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1980Lowest same as U.S.	1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	29 minHighest 11% above U.S.	24 minLowest 10% below U.S.
Work from home	13.6%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	22.9%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Wolfeboro and Standish 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	#18 of 133 in ME	#46 of 120 in NH
School district	RSU 06/MSAD 06	Governor Wentworth Regional School District
High school in town	Bonny Eagle High School	Kingswood Regional High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.5Highest	11.1Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.