Compare towns
Wolfeboro vs Gardner vs Meredith
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wolfeboro has the most expensive homes ($547k median).
Gardner has the most affordable homes ($302k median).
Meredith has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.7%).
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 | Gardner | Meredith |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,571Lowest |
21,148Highest |
6,758 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 57±1.8Highest 47% above U.S. |
43.7±2.3Lowest 12% above U.S. |
55.5±3.7 43% above U.S. |
| 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%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±2.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Gardner 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
34.2%±5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
23.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gardner and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $94,375±$22kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$67,518±$8kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$87,019±$19k 8% above U.S. |
| Wolfeboro and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $546,500±$60kHighest 64% above U.S. |
$301,600±$20kLowest 9% below U.S. |
$480,100±$48k 44% above U.S. |
| 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 22% below U.S. |
$1,109±$51 22% below U.S. |
$1,149±$304Highest 19% below U.S. |
| Meredith and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,531 45% above U.S. |
$4,150Lowest 33% above U.S. |
$5,006Highest 61% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 12%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.7%±8.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.5%±9.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gardner and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
13.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 10% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 22.9%±6.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #273 of 282 in MA | #62 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Governor Wentworth Regional School District | Gardner | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | Kingswood Regional High School | Gardner High | Inter-Lakes High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Lowest |
13.5Highest |
11.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.