Compare towns

Wolfeboro vs Salisbury vs Alton

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 people working from home (22.9%).
Salisbury has the most renters (28.8% rent).
Alton has the highest household income ($114k).

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.

MeasureWolfeboroSalisburyAlton
People
Population
6,571
9,281Highest
5,994Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+2.3%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+11.5%
U.S.: +7.4%
+12.3%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
57±1.8Highest
47% above U.S.
51.3±3.5Lowest
32% above U.S.
53.7±3.2
38% above U.S.
Wolfeboro and Alton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
13.7%±3.3Highest
U.S.: 22%
13.1%±2.9Lowest
U.S.: 22%
13.4%±4
U.S.: 22%
Wolfeboro and Alton 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%
25.5%±3.5
U.S.: 17.2%
25.1%±4.5Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
45%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
43.8%
U.S.: 35.7%
35.8%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
2.8%±1.8
U.S.: 6.4%
4.9%±1.7Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
0.8%±0.8Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
Salisbury and Wolfeboro 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.
$93,361±$6kLowest
16% above U.S.
$113,715±$19kHighest
41% above U.S.
Alton 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.
$478,700±$27k
44% above U.S.
$430,400±$37kLowest
29% above U.S.
Wolfeboro and Salisbury 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.
$1,691±$411Highest
20% above U.S.
—
Property taxmedian, yearly
$4,531
45% above U.S.
$4,604Highest
48% above U.S.
$4,183Lowest
34% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
12%±11.6Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
61.9%±11.5Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
31.7%±27.7
U.S.: 51.1%
Salisbury and Alton 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%
5%
U.S.: 12.5%
4.1%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
78.1%
U.S.: 65.2%
71.2%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
93.7%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1982Highest
2 yrs newer than U.S.
1980
same as U.S.
1974Lowest
6 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
24 minLowest
10% below U.S.
28 min
5% above U.S.
33 minHighest
25% above U.S.
Work from home
22.9%±6.6Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
19.8%±5.8
U.S.: 15.1%
13.1%±5.2Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
Wolfeboro and Salisbury 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 #240 of 282 in MA #72 of 120 in NH
School district Governor Wentworth Regional School District Triton Prospect Mountain JMA School District · Alton School District
High school in town Kingswood Regional High School None in town Prospect Mountain High School
Students per teacherat that high school
11.1
—
11.1
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.