Compare towns
Wells vs Wolfeboro vs Meredith
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).
Wolfeboro has the most expensive homes ($547k median).
Meredith has the most people working from home (23.7%).
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 | Wolfeboro | Meredith |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,713Highest |
6,571Lowest |
6,758 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +18%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.6±3.8Lowest 38% above U.S. |
57±1.8Highest 47% above U.S. |
55.5±3.7 43% above U.S. |
| Wolfeboro and Meredith 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% |
13.7%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
12.6%±3.3Lowest 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% |
34.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
34.2%±5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wolfeboro and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
45% U.S.: 35.7% |
45.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Wells and Meredith 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. |
$94,375±$22kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$87,019±$19kLowest 8% 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±$23k 46% above U.S. |
$546,500±$60kHighest 64% above U.S. |
$480,100±$48kLowest 44% above U.S. |
| Wolfeboro and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,350±$297Highest 4% below U.S. |
$1,103±$76Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,149±$304 19% below U.S. |
| Wells and Meredith 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. |
$4,531 45% above U.S. |
$5,006Highest 61% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.1%±19.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
12%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.5%±9.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Meredith 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% |
7.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 10% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 17.8%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.9%±6.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
23.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Meredith 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 | #62 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | Governor Wentworth Regional School District | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | Wells High School | Kingswood Regional High School | Inter-Lakes High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Highest |
11.1Lowest |
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.