Compare towns
Wolfeboro vs Cornish vs Alton
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 most people working from home (22.9%).
Cornish has the most affordable homes ($296k median).
Alton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.3%).
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 | Cornish | Alton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,571Highest |
1,816Lowest |
5,994 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3% NH: +4.6% |
-1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+12.3%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 57±1.8Highest 32% above NH |
54±8.3 25% above NH |
53.7±3.2Lowest 24% above NH |
| Wolfeboro and Cornish 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% |
14.4%±3.2Highest NH: 18.2% |
13.4%±4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Cornish and Wolfeboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 34.6%±5.2Highest NH: 20.1% |
27.3%±4.1 NH: 20.1% |
25.1%±4.5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Wolfeboro and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45%Highest NH: 40.6% |
40.6% NH: 40.6% |
35.8%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.8Highest NH: 6% |
1.4%±0.9 NH: 6% |
0.8%±0.8Lowest NH: 6% |
| Wolfeboro and Cornish 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 |
$91,821±$2kLowest 7% below NH |
$113,715±$19kHighest 15% above NH |
| Alton and Wolfeboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $546,500±$60kHighest 36% above NH |
$296,000±$69kLowest 26% below NH |
$430,400±$37k 7% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,103±$76Lowest 26% below NH |
$1,221±$227Highest 18% below NH |
— |
| Cornish and Wolfeboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,531 32% below NH |
$5,796Highest 13% below NH |
$4,183Lowest 37% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 12%±11.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
40.5%±38.1Highest NH: 48.2% |
31.7%±27.7 NH: 48.2% |
| Cornish and Alton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.2%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.7% NH: 7.2% |
4.1%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
94.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
93.7% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 3 yrs newer than NH |
1980 1 yr newer than NH |
1974Lowest 5 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 11% below NH |
24 min 9% below NH |
33 minHighest 24% above NH |
| Work from home | 22.9%±6.6Highest NH: 16.8% |
12%±4.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
13.1%±5.2 NH: 16.8% |
| Wolfeboro and Alton 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 | — | #72 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Governor Wentworth Regional School District | Cornish School District | Prospect Mountain JMA School District · Alton School District |
| High school in town | Kingswood Regional High School | None in town | Prospect Mountain High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1 |
— | 11.1 |
| 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.