Compare towns
Wolfeboro vs Saco vs Gray 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).
Saco has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.3%).
Gray has the most kids (19% under 18).
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 | Saco | Gray | Meredith |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,571Lowest |
20,819Highest |
8,429 |
6,758 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 57±1.8Highest 47% above U.S. |
44.9±1.5 15% above U.S. |
43.4±4.5Lowest 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% |
16.7%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
19%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Gray and Saco 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% |
18.5%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±4 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% |
43.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
45.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gray and Saco 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. |
$92,241±$11k 14% above U.S. |
$95,236±$8kHighest 18% above U.S. |
$87,019±$19kLowest 8% above U.S. |
| Gray 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 64% above U.S. |
$413,100±$17k 24% above U.S. |
$363,700±$20kLowest 9% above 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. |
$1,249±$385 12% below U.S. |
$1,371±$89Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,149±$304 19% below U.S. |
| Gray and Saco 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. |
$4,807 54% above U.S. |
$3,683Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$5,006Highest 61% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 12%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.3%±14 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.5%±9.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray and Saco 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% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 10% below U.S. |
24 min 10% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 22.9%±6.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest 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 | #38 of 133 in ME | #10 of 133 in ME | #62 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Governor Wentworth Regional School District | Saco Public Schools | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | Kingswood Regional High School | None in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Inter-Lakes High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Lowest |
— | 12.5Highest |
11.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.