Compare towns
Wolfeboro vs Exeter vs Bartlett 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).
Exeter has the most kids (17% under 18).
Bartlett has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.8%).
Meredith has the most people working from home (23.7%).
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 | Exeter | Bartlett | Meredith |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,571 |
16,151Highest |
3,281Lowest |
6,758 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+12.2% NH: +4.6% |
+14.8%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+6.7% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 57±1.8 32% above NH |
45.8±2.3Lowest 6% above NH |
57.4±4.7Highest 33% above NH |
55.5±3.7 28% above NH |
| Bartlett 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% |
17%±2.7Highest NH: 18.2% |
7.5%±2.7Lowest NH: 18.2% |
12.6%±3.3 NH: 18.2% |
| Exeter and Wolfeboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 34.6%±5.2 NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
36.1%±9.6Highest NH: 20.1% |
34.2%±5 NH: 20.1% |
| Bartlett 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% |
59.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
36.4%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
45.9% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.8 NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8Highest NH: 6% |
0.1%±0.4Lowest NH: 6% |
2.9%±1.2 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $94,375±$22k 5% below NH |
$110,346±$13kHighest 11% above NH |
$59,754±$9kLowest 40% below NH |
$87,019±$19k 12% below NH |
| Exeter 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 |
$456,600±$21k 13% above NH |
$371,400±$78kLowest 8% below NH |
$480,100±$48k 19% above NH |
| Wolfeboro and Meredith 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 |
$1,856±$223Highest 24% above NH |
$1,676±$97 12% above NH |
$1,149±$304 23% below NH |
| Exeter and Bartlett 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 |
$8,814Highest 32% above NH |
$2,512Lowest 62% below NH |
$5,006 25% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 12%±11.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3 NH: 48.2% |
68.5%±37.9Highest NH: 48.2% |
48.5%±9.2 NH: 48.2% |
| Bartlett and Exeter 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% |
4.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
10.5%Highest NH: 7.2% |
7.7% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.1% NH: 72.8% |
69.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
79%Highest NH: 72.8% |
75.8% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 3 yrs newer than NH |
1979 same as NH |
1982Highest 3 yrs newer than NH |
1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 11% below NH |
25 min 7% below NH |
31 minHighest 15% above NH |
26 min about the NH average |
| Work from home | 22.9%±6.6 NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
13.5%±7.1Lowest 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 | #22 of 120 in NH | #74 of 120 in NH | #62 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Governor Wentworth Regional School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Bartlett School District | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | Kingswood Regional High School | Exeter High School | None in town | Inter-Lakes High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Lowest |
12.1Highest |
— | 11.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 59 photos → | 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.