Compare towns
Wolfeboro vs Dover vs Kingston vs Sunapee
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%).
Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Kingston has the highest household income ($105k).
Sunapee has the most affordable homes ($393k 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 | Dover | Kingston | Sunapee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,571 |
33,364Highest |
6,275 |
3,416Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3% NH: +4.6% |
+9.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+2.9% NH: +4.6% |
-0.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 57±1.8Highest 32% above NH |
36.9±1.9Lowest 15% below NH |
55.5±5.7 28% above NH |
56.7±1.4 31% above NH |
| Wolfeboro and Sunapee 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% |
16.9%±1.8Highest NH: 18.2% |
13.5%±3.9 NH: 18.2% |
9.9%±3.4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Dover 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% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
24.7%±6 NH: 20.1% |
33.3%±7.1 NH: 20.1% |
| Wolfeboro and Sunapee 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% |
52%Highest NH: 40.6% |
35.1%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
50.6% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
6.2%±1.2Highest NH: 6% |
3.6%±2.1 NH: 6% |
4.5%±3.5 NH: 6% |
| Dover and Sunapee 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 5% below NH |
$94,829±$7k 4% below NH |
$105,330±$12kHighest 6% above NH |
$101,393±$20k about the NH average |
| Kingston and Sunapee 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 |
$436,700±$20k 8% above NH |
$492,900±$58k 22% above NH |
$393,000±$51kLowest about the NH average |
| Wolfeboro and Kingston 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 |
$1,607±$100 8% above NH |
$1,393±$156 7% below NH |
$1,713±$451Highest 15% above NH |
| Sunapee and Dover 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 |
$8,249Highest 24% above NH |
$7,906 19% above NH |
$4,400Lowest 34% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 12%±11.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
48.6%±6.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
46.9%±46.4 NH: 48.2% |
34.6%±10.5 NH: 48.2% |
| Dover and Kingston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.2% NH: 7.2% |
8.3% NH: 7.2% |
2.1%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
12.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
74.4% NH: 72.8% |
75.9% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 3 yrs newer than NH |
1976 3 yrs older than NH |
1982Highest 3 yrs newer than NH |
1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 11% below NH |
23 minLowest 15% below NH |
34 minHighest 27% above NH |
33 min 23% above NH |
| Work from home | 22.9%±6.6Highest NH: 16.8% |
18.6%±2.5 NH: 16.8% |
15.7%±4.3 NH: 16.8% |
9.5%±4.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Wolfeboro and Dover 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 | #64 of 120 in NH | #78 of 120 in NH | #14 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Governor Wentworth Regional School District | Dover School District | Sanborn Regional School District | Sunapee School District |
| High school in town | Kingswood Regional High School | Dover Senior High School | Sanborn Regional High School | Sunapee Sr. High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Lowest |
12.7 |
12.9Highest |
11.9 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.