Compare towns
Waterville Valley vs Wolfeboro vs Randolph
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Waterville Valley has the shortest commute (14 min average).
Wolfeboro has the most people working from home (22.9%).
Randolph has the most affordable homes ($407k 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.
| Measure | Waterville Valley | Wolfeboro | Randolph |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 290Lowest |
6,571Highest |
420 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +2.3% NH: +4.6% |
— |
| Median age | 61.6±16.5Highest 42% above NH |
57±1.8Lowest 32% above NH |
57.5±10.9 33% above NH |
| Waterville Valley and Randolph are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 8.6%±11.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
13.7%±3.3 NH: 18.2% |
14.5%±6.5Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Randolph and Wolfeboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 43.1%±9.7Highest NH: 20.1% |
34.6%±5.2 NH: 20.1% |
31.7%±2.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Waterville Valley and Wolfeboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 71.6%Highest NH: 40.6% |
45%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
60.1% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.3%±4.3Lowest NH: 6% |
2.8%±1.8 NH: 6% |
5.5%±3.7Highest NH: 6% |
| Randolph and Wolfeboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $105,625±$50kHighest 7% above NH |
$94,375±$22kLowest 5% below NH |
$101,750±$16k about the NH average |
| Waterville Valley and Randolph are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $562,500±$193kHighest 40% above NH |
$546,500±$60k 36% above NH |
$407,000±$57kLowest about the NH average |
| Waterville Valley and Wolfeboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$382 23% below NH |
$1,103±$76Lowest 26% below NH |
$1,667±$215Highest 12% above NH |
| Randolph and Waterville Valley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,745Highest 14% below NH |
$4,531 32% below NH |
$4,269Lowest 36% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.3%±100 NH: 48.2% |
12%±11.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
50%±53.1Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Randolph and Waterville Valley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.9% NH: 7.2% |
8.2%Highest NH: 7.2% |
6.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.5% NH: 72.8% |
78.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
83.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 5 yrs newer than NH |
1982 3 yrs newer than NH |
1963Lowest 16 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 14 minLowest 48% below NH |
24 min 11% below NH |
27 minHighest about the NH average |
| Work from home | 19.7%±12.6 NH: 16.8% |
22.9%±6.6Highest NH: 16.8% |
19.5%±5.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Wolfeboro and Waterville Valley 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 | — | #46 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Waterville Valley School District | Governor Wentworth Regional School District | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Kingswood Regional High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.