What stands out worked out from the figures below

Wolfeboro has the shortest commute (24 min average).

Sturbridge has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.5%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Wolfeboro	Sturbridge
People
Population	6,571Lowest	9,960Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+6.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	57±1.8Highest 47% above U.S.	47.2±2.6Lowest 21% above U.S.
Kids under 18	13.7%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22%	20.7%±3Highest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	34.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2%	19.8%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	45%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	49.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	4.6%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Sturbridge 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±$22kLowest 17% above U.S.	$136,759±$15kHighest 69% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$546,500±$60kHighest 64% above U.S.	$425,800±$18kLowest 28% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,103±$76Lowest 22% below U.S.	$1,193±$398Highest 16% below U.S.
	Sturbridge and Wolfeboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,531Lowest 45% above U.S.	$6,520Highest 109% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	12%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	42%±17.7Highest U.S.: 51.1%
Below poverty line	8.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	78.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	86.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1982 2 yrs newer than U.S.	1982 2 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minLowest 10% below U.S.	38 minHighest 43% above U.S.
Work from home	22.9%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1%	19.8%±4.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Wolfeboro and Sturbridge 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	#89 of 282 in MA
School district	Governor Wentworth Regional School District	Sturbridge · Tantasqua
High school in town	Kingswood Regional High School	Tantasqua Regional Sr High
Students per teacherat that high school	11.1Highest	7.7Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.