Compare towns
Wolfeboro vs Salem vs Brookfield
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 people working from home (22.9%).
Salem has the youngest population (median age 44.6).
Brookfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6%).
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 | Salem | Brookfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,571 |
30,964Highest |
567Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+4.6% NH: +4.6% |
+6%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 57±1.8 32% above NH |
44.6±2.7Lowest 3% above NH |
58.1±9.7Highest 34% above NH |
| Brookfield 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% |
16.2%±2.1Highest NH: 18.2% |
8.6%±4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Salem 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% |
18.6%±1.7Lowest NH: 20.1% |
38.4%±3.4Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Brookfield 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%Highest NH: 40.6% |
38.7% NH: 40.6% |
36.8%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
4.3%±1 NH: 6% |
5.5%±5Highest NH: 6% |
| Brookfield and Salem 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 |
$110,490±$9kHighest 12% above NH |
$81,406±$31kLowest 18% below NH |
| Salem 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 |
$473,300±$16k 18% above NH |
$428,000±$61kLowest 6% above NH |
| Wolfeboro and Salem 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 |
$1,625±$146Highest 9% above NH |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,531Lowest 32% below NH |
$6,992Highest 5% above NH |
$5,926 11% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 12%±11.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
44.5%±9.6Highest NH: 48.2% |
— |
| Below poverty line | 8.2%Highest NH: 7.2% |
5% NH: 7.2% |
3.9%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.1% NH: 72.8% |
75.6%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
98.4%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 3 yrs newer than NH |
1977 2 yrs older than NH |
1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 11% below NH |
29 minHighest 9% above NH |
27 min about the NH average |
| Work from home | 22.9%±6.6Highest NH: 16.8% |
16.3%±2.9 NH: 16.8% |
13.7%±6.8Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Wolfeboro and Salem 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 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Governor Wentworth Regional School District | Salem School District | — |
| High school in town | Kingswood Regional High School | Salem High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Lowest |
11.2Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.