Compare towns
Wells vs Hampton Beach 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
Wells has the most kids (18% under 18).
Hampton Beach has the most renters (37.1% rent).
Wolfeboro has the most expensive homes ($547k 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 | Wells | Hampton Beach | Wolfeboro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,713Highest |
2,605Lowest |
6,571 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +18%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+14.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.6±3.8Lowest 38% above U.S. |
60.4±2.4Highest 55% above U.S. |
57±1.8 47% above U.S. |
| Hampton Beach and Wolfeboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18%±3.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
3.1%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
13.7%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Wells and Wolfeboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 31%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
33.7%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
34.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wolfeboro and Hampton Beach are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
34%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
45%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.6%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.8%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Wells and Wolfeboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $88,024±$11k 9% above U.S. |
$82,557±$17kLowest about the U.S. average |
$94,375±$22kHighest 17% above U.S. |
| Wolfeboro and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $485,300±$23kLowest 46% above U.S. |
$508,900±$76k 53% above U.S. |
$546,500±$60kHighest 64% above U.S. |
| Wolfeboro and Hampton Beach are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,350±$297 4% below U.S. |
$1,375±$130Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,103±$76Lowest 22% below U.S. |
| Hampton Beach and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,215Lowest 3% above U.S. |
$6,115Highest 96% above U.S. |
$4,531 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.1%±19.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
61.7%±20.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
12%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hampton Beach and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
62.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
25 min 4% below U.S. |
24 minLowest 10% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.8%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
26.9%±6.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.9%±6.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Hampton Beach and Wolfeboro 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 | #22 of 133 in ME | — | #46 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | — | Governor Wentworth Regional School District |
| High school in town | Wells High School | — | Kingswood Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Highest |
— | 11.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.