Compare towns

Wolfeboro vs Barre vs Brookfield

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Wolfeboro has the most people working from home (22.9%).
Barre has the most affordable homes ($210k median).
Brookfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6%).

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.

MeasureWolfeboroBarreBrookfield
People
Population
6,571
8,412Highest
567Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+2.3%
U.S.: +7.4%
-6.2%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+6%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
57±1.8
47% above U.S.
42.2±6.6Lowest
8% above U.S.
58.1±9.7Highest
49% above U.S.
Brookfield and Wolfeboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
13.7%±3.3Highest
U.S.: 22%
13.5%±3.8
U.S.: 22%
8.6%±4Lowest
U.S.: 22%
Wolfeboro and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
34.6%±5.2
U.S.: 17.2%
19.4%±3.9Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
38.4%±3.4Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
Brookfield and Wolfeboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
45%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
36.1%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
36.8%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
2.8%±1.8Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
3.4%±1.9
U.S.: 6.4%
5.5%±5Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
Brookfield and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$94,375±$22kHighest
17% above U.S.
$65,625±$7kLowest
19% below U.S.
$81,406±$31k
about the U.S. average
Wolfeboro and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$546,500±$60kHighest
64% above U.S.
$210,400±$15kLowest
37% below U.S.
$428,000±$61k
29% above U.S.
Wolfeboro and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,103±$76Highest
22% below U.S.
$1,093±$58Lowest
23% below U.S.
—
Wolfeboro and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$4,531Lowest
45% above U.S.
$5,192
66% above U.S.
$5,926Highest
90% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
12%±11.6Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
34.4%±10.3Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
—
Below poverty line
8.2%
U.S.: 12.5%
17.3%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
3.9%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
78.1%
U.S.: 65.2%
50.4%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
98.4%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1982Highest
2 yrs newer than U.S.
1947Lowest
33 yrs older than U.S.
1975
5 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
24 min
10% below U.S.
19 minLowest
30% below U.S.
27 minHighest
3% above U.S.
Work from home
22.9%±6.6Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
10.5%±4.1Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
13.7%±6.8
U.S.: 15.1%
Wolfeboro and Brookfield 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 #19 of 70 in VT —
School district Governor Wentworth Regional School District Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center —
High school in town Kingswood Regional High School Spaulding Union High School —
Students per teacherat that high school
11.1Highest
10.7Lowest
—
On TownTapestry
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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.