What stands out worked out from the figures below

Wolfeboro has the most expensive homes ($547k median).

Wakefield has the most affordable homes ($323k median).

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	Wakefield
People
Population	6,571Highest	5,405Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.3%Lowest NH: +4.6%	+2.4%Highest NH: +4.6%
Median age	57±1.8Highest 32% above NH	49.4±4.1Lowest 14% above NH
Kids under 18	13.7%±3.3Lowest NH: 18.2%	18.7%±3.9Highest NH: 18.2%
	Wakefield and Wolfeboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	34.6%±5.2Highest NH: 20.1%	18.8%±4.7Lowest NH: 20.1%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	45%Highest NH: 40.6%	26.2%Lowest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.8%±1.8Highest NH: 6%	1.4%±1.1Lowest NH: 6%
	Wolfeboro and Wakefield 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 5% below NH	$100,976±$11kHighest about the NH average
	Wakefield 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	$322,800±$43kLowest 20% below NH
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,103±$76Lowest 26% below NH	$1,375±$434Highest 8% below NH
	Wakefield and Wolfeboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,531Highest 32% below NH	$2,954Lowest 56% below NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	12%±11.6Highest NH: 48.2%	0%±82.9Lowest NH: 48.2%
	Wolfeboro and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	8.2%Highest NH: 7.2%	7.2%Lowest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	78.1%Lowest NH: 72.8%	96.8%Highest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1982Highest 3 yrs newer than NH	1980Lowest 1 yr newer than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minLowest 11% below NH	36 minHighest 34% above NH
Work from home	22.9%±6.6Highest NH: 16.8%	15.1%±9.3Lowest NH: 16.8%
	Wolfeboro and Wakefield 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	#118 of 120 in NH
School district	Governor Wentworth Regional School District	Wakefield School District
High school in town	Kingswood Regional High School	None in town
Students per teacherat that high school	11.1	—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.