What stands out worked out from the figures below

Wolfeboro has the shortest commute (24 min average).

Canton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13%).

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	Wolfeboro	Canton
People
Population	6,571Lowest	24,748Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+13%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	57±1.8Highest 47% above U.S.	42.6±2.3Lowest 10% above U.S.
Kids under 18	13.7%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22%	22.9%±2.3Highest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	34.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2%	18.8%±2Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	45%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	67.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	4.5%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Canton and Wolfeboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$94,375±$22kLowest 17% above U.S.	$143,381±$9kHighest 78% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$546,500±$60kLowest 64% above U.S.	$710,600±$27kHighest 114% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,103±$76Lowest 22% below U.S.	$2,315±$178Highest 64% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,531Lowest 45% above U.S.	$6,560Highest 110% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	12%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	52.4%±9.1Highest U.S.: 51.1%
Below poverty line	8.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	5.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	78.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	73.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S.	1980Lowest same as U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minLowest 10% below U.S.	36 minHighest 36% above U.S.
Work from home	22.9%±6.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	25.7%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Canton 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	#46 of 120 in NH	#81 of 282 in MA
School district	Governor Wentworth Regional School District	Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical · Canton
High school in town	Kingswood Regional High School	Canton High
Students per teacherat that high school	11.1Lowest	13.1Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.