Compare towns
Wolfeboro vs Lebanon vs Meredith vs Kingston
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).
Lebanon has the shortest commute (14 min average).
Meredith has the most people working from home (23.7%).
Kingston has the highest household income ($105k).
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 | Lebanon | Meredith | Kingston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,571 |
14,999Highest |
6,758 |
6,275Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+8.6%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+6.7% NH: +4.6% |
+2.9% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 57±1.8Highest 32% above NH |
38.9±3.1Lowest 10% below NH |
55.5±3.7 28% above NH |
55.5±5.7 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%±3.3 NH: 18.2% |
14.6%±2.4Highest NH: 18.2% |
12.6%±3.3Lowest NH: 18.2% |
13.5%±3.9 NH: 18.2% |
| Lebanon 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% |
21.4%±2.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
34.2%±5 NH: 20.1% |
24.7%±6 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% NH: 40.6% |
57.5%Highest NH: 40.6% |
45.9% NH: 40.6% |
35.1%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
6.9%±2.6Highest NH: 6% |
2.9%±1.2 NH: 6% |
3.6%±2.1 NH: 6% |
| Lebanon and Kingston 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 |
$98,147±$10k about the NH average |
$87,019±$19kLowest 12% below NH |
$105,330±$12kHighest 6% above NH |
| Kingston and Lebanon 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 |
$385,400±$29kLowest 4% below NH |
$480,100±$48k 19% above NH |
$492,900±$58k 22% above NH |
| 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 |
$1,744±$132Highest 17% above NH |
$1,149±$304 23% below NH |
$1,393±$156 7% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,531Lowest 32% below NH |
$8,149Highest 22% above NH |
$5,006 25% below NH |
$7,906 19% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 12%±11.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
41.9%±7.2 NH: 48.2% |
48.5%±9.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
46.9%±46.4 NH: 48.2% |
| Meredith and Kingston 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% |
7% NH: 7.2% |
7.7% NH: 7.2% |
2.1%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
51.2%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
75.8% NH: 72.8% |
74.4% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 3 yrs newer than NH |
1980 1 yr newer than NH |
1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
1982Highest 3 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 11% below NH |
14 minLowest 48% below NH |
26 min about the NH average |
34 minHighest 27% above NH |
| Work from home | 22.9%±6.6 NH: 16.8% |
22.8%±4.3 NH: 16.8% |
23.7%±4.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
15.7%±4.3Lowest 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 | #29 of 120 in NH | #62 of 120 in NH | #78 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Governor Wentworth Regional School District | Lebanon School District | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | Sanborn Regional School District |
| High school in town | Kingswood Regional High School | Lebanon High School | Inter-Lakes High School | Sanborn Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Lowest |
11.7 |
11.1Lowest |
12.9Highest |
| 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.