Compare towns
Wolfeboro vs Mendon vs Ossipee 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 shortest commute (24 min average).
Mendon has the highest household income ($132k).
Ossipee has the most affordable homes ($326k median).
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 | Mendon | Ossipee | Meredith |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,571 |
6,325 |
4,521Lowest |
6,758Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 57±1.8Highest 47% above U.S. |
44.1±4.4Lowest 13% above U.S. |
50±4.6 29% 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% |
22.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.5%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
12.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Mendon and Ossipee 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% |
14.7%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.3%±5.9 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% |
46.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
24.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.8%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Mendon and Ossipee 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 17% above U.S. |
$132,256±$33kHighest 64% above U.S. |
$90,521±$22k 12% above U.S. |
$87,019±$19kLowest 8% above U.S. |
| Mendon 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±$60k 64% above U.S. |
$616,000±$37kHighest 85% above U.S. |
$325,500±$23kLowest about the U.S. average |
$480,100±$48k 44% above U.S. |
| Mendon and Wolfeboro 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. |
$1,840±$196Highest 30% above U.S. |
$1,601±$245 13% above U.S. |
$1,149±$304 19% below U.S. |
| Mendon and Ossipee 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. |
$7,213Highest 131% above U.S. |
$4,401Lowest 41% above U.S. |
$5,006 61% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 12%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
78.7%±26Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
72%±16.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
48.5%±9.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Mendon and Ossipee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 10% below U.S. |
30 min 14% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 27% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 22.9%±6.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±5.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
5.3%±3.7Lowest 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 | #210 of 282 in MA | #100 of 120 in NH | #62 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Governor Wentworth Regional School District | Mendon-Upton | Governor Wentworth Regional School District | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | Kingswood Regional High School | None in town | None in town | Inter-Lakes High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1 |
— | — | 11.1 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.