Compare towns
Wolfeboro vs Durham vs Meredith
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 expensive homes ($547k median).
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.1).
Meredith has the most affordable homes ($480k median).
Durham is a college town. 70.2% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Durham | Meredith |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,571Lowest |
10,681Highest |
6,758 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+7.8%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+6.7% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 57±1.8Highest 32% above NH |
20.1±0.2Lowest 54% below NH |
55.5±3.7 28% above NH |
| Wolfeboro and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.7%±3.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
6.5%±2Lowest NH: 18.2% |
12.6%±3.3 NH: 18.2% |
| Wolfeboro and Meredith 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% |
7.5%±1.4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
34.2%±5 NH: 20.1% |
| Wolfeboro and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
45.9% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
70.2%±1.6Highest NH: 6% |
2.9%±1.2 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $94,375±$22k 5% below NH |
$112,070±$25kHighest 13% above NH |
$87,019±$19kLowest 12% below NH |
| Durham 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 |
$498,000±$45k 24% above NH |
$480,100±$48kLowest 19% above NH |
| Wolfeboro and Durham 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 |
$1,302±$211Highest 13% below NH |
$1,149±$304 23% below NH |
| Durham and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,531Lowest 32% below NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$5,006 25% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 12%±11.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
55.4%±19.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
48.5%±9.2 NH: 48.2% |
| Durham and Meredith 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% |
12.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
7.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
53.6%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
75.8% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 3 yrs newer than NH |
1973Lowest 6 yrs older than NH |
1975 4 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 11% below NH |
17 minLowest 36% below NH |
26 minHighest about the NH average |
| Work from home | 22.9%±6.6 NH: 16.8% |
15.6%±3.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
23.7%±4.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Meredith 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 | #9 of 120 in NH | #62 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Governor Wentworth Regional School District | — | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | Kingswood Regional High School | — | Inter-Lakes 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.