What stands out worked out from the figures below

Wilton has the most affordable homes ($382k median).

Lakeville has the most expensive homes ($566k 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.

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

Measure	Wilton	Lakeville
People
Population	3,960Lowest	11,944Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+8.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	46.8±5.2Highest 20% above U.S.	43.8±1.9Lowest 13% above U.S.
	Wilton and Lakeville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	13.7%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 22%	20.2%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22%
	Lakeville and Wilton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	22%±6.3Highest U.S.: 17.2%	16.3%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Wilton and Lakeville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	36.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	38.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.5%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	6.7%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Lakeville and Wilton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$114,349±$21kLowest 42% above U.S.	$133,984±$11kHighest 66% above U.S.
	Lakeville and Wilton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$381,500±$23kLowest 15% above U.S.	$565,900±$27kHighest 70% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,382±$70Lowest about the U.S. average	$1,884±$466Highest 33% above U.S.
	Lakeville and Wilton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,612Highest 144% above U.S.	$5,536Lowest 77% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	47.1%±39.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	57.5%±18.2Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Lakeville and Wilton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	3.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	4%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	77%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	83.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S.	1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	30 minLowest 14% above U.S.	33 minHighest 25% above U.S.
Work from home	16.7%±5.2Highest U.S.: 15.1%	15.2%±5.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Wilton and Lakeville 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	#54 of 120 in NH	#96 of 282 in MA
School district	Wilton-Lyndeborough Cooperative School District	Freetown-Lakeville
High school in town	Wilton-Lyndeboro Senior High School	Apponequet Regional High
Students per teacherat that high school	9.1Lowest	10.9Highest
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.