Compare towns
Wolfeboro vs Bow vs Brookfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wolfeboro has the shortest commute (24 min average).
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
Brookfield has the most affordable homes ($428k 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 | Wolfeboro | Bow | Brookfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,571 |
8,335Highest |
567Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+6% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 57±1.8 32% above NH |
41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH |
58.1±9.7Highest 34% above NH |
| 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%±3.3 NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
8.6%±4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 34.6%±5.2 NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
38.4%±3.4Highest NH: 20.1% |
| 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% NH: 40.6% |
60.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
36.8%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9Highest NH: 6% |
5.5%±5 NH: 6% |
| Bow and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $94,375±$22k 5% below NH |
$172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
$81,406±$31kLowest 18% below NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $546,500±$60kHighest 36% above NH |
$506,500±$34k 26% above NH |
$428,000±$61kLowest 6% above NH |
| Wolfeboro and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,103±$76Lowest 26% below NH |
$1,539±$178Highest 3% above NH |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,531Lowest 32% below NH |
$9,584Highest 44% above NH |
$5,926 11% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 12%±11.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
— |
| Below poverty line | 8.2%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
3.9% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
87.5% NH: 72.8% |
98.4%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 3 yrs newer than NH |
1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 11% below NH |
27 min about the NH average |
27 minHighest about the NH average |
| Work from home | 22.9%±6.6Highest NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
13.7%±6.8Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Wolfeboro and Bow 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 | #26 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Governor Wentworth Regional School District | Bow School District | — |
| High school in town | Kingswood Regional High School | Bow High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Lowest |
12.8Highest |
— |
| 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.