CautiousUpdated SEP 1, 2026

Wolfeboro, NH

ZIP 03894· Carroll County· 6,577 residents· Median income $84,660· Leaning Buyer

03894 · Wolfeboro, NH has a HavenScore of 39 — affordability is the drag — prices are stretched against local incomes.

At the ZIP's typical value, the estimated monthly payment takes 65% of the local median income (Zillow, US Census ACS). The buyer/seller gauge leans narrowly toward buyers, and has for 3 months. Typical values moved higher over the last 90 days (Zillow ZHVI). The cautious band reflects the longer-run affordability and risk picture; the buyer lean is the near-term negotiating climate, and the two can differ.

Saved ZIPs on Haven get an email when the score moves 5+ points as monthly data lands, when the market gauge flips between buyers and sellers, when its valuation read moves against the model value, or when distress jumps in a week.

Zillow ZHVI peaked at $668,312 in Nov 2024; the latest value is -2.3% from that peak, 20 months on. Since January 2019 it is +81.8%. The sharpest 12-month move was -5.1%, ending Nov 2025.

Median price
$652,721
+2.55% past 12 mo
Est. monthly payment
$4,568/ mo
20% down · 30-yr fixed · 6.71% · incl. tax + insurance
35
HavenScore: higher than 8% of scored ZIPs.
▲ +4 / 90d#11/21 in NHBuyer Score
Rank

Ranked #12,010 of 13,130 nationally · #5,005 of 5,378 small market ZIPs

Switch perspective

Buyer view active — Leans harder on affordability and downside risk.

Score inputs below recompute for this view

Affordability
14/100
Growth
59/100
Risk
51/100
Momentum
42/100
Livability
61/100
Score · trailing 12 mo
2439
+15 points
30-day
+1
90-day
+4
1-yr
+15

Snapshot

Numbers at a glance, with a year of history under each

Median price
$652,721
up+2.5% 12 mo
Typical home value across the middle tier of homes here — a smoothed Zillow index, steadier than individual sale prices.
Median price: higher than 83% of scored ZIPs.
Twelve-month trend shown as a sparkline; the newest value is $652,721.
Price-to-income
7.7×
Median home value divided by median household income. Under 4× has historically been comfortable; over 5× stretches most budgets.
Price-to-income: higher than 90% of scored ZIPs.
Est. monthly payment
$4,568
At the median value with 20% down, a 30-year fixed at 6.71%, plus property tax and insurance.
Est. monthly payment: higher than 90% of scored ZIPs.
Active listings
57
Homes listed for sale right now (Realtor.com). Rising inventory usually favors buyers; falling inventory favors sellers.
Active listings: higher than 56% of scored ZIPs.
Twelve-month trend shown as a sparkline; the newest value is 57.
Days on market
49
How long the typical listing sits before going under contract. Shorter means a tighter market; longer means more room to negotiate.
Days on market: higher than 46% of scored ZIPs.
Twelve-month trend shown as a sparkline; the newest value is 49.
Price cuts
+21.62%
Share of active listings that have lowered their asking price. Rising cuts usually precede softening values.
Twelve-month trend shown as a sparkline; the newest value is +21.62%.
Median income
$84,660
Median household income here, from the latest US Census American Community Survey.
Population
6,577
Current resident estimate. Growth is a demand tailwind; decline is a structural risk.
Twelve-month trend shown as a sparkline; the newest value is 6,577.
Overvaluation
+85.34%
How far today's values sit above the long-run price trend. Positive means stretched; negative means discounted versus trend.
Vacancy
37.3%
Above-average. Share of housing units that are vacant in this ZIP, from the latest US Census ACS 5-year tables.
Owner-occupied
76%
of homes. Share of occupied housing units owned by their occupants (vs. rented), from the US Census ACS.
Denial rate
25.9%
Above-average. Share of mortgage applications denied in this ZIP, from the latest CFPB / FFIEC HMDA disclosures.
Lending activity
1,412
originations. Mortgage originations recorded in this ZIP in the most recent HMDA reporting year. Higher counts = more active lending market.
Net migration
-3.8%
net outflow. Net migration as a share of population, from IRS SOI county-to-county migration data. Positive = more people moving in than out.
Income inflow
$117k
average. Average gross income of households moving INTO this ZIP, from IRS SOI data. Higher = ZIP attracting higher-income households.

Place

What it is like to live here, and what could flood or burn

Place profile
WalkabilityBelow-average walkability
EPA index 6.1 of 20 · EPA Smart Location Database · Jun 2021 · above 39% of scored ZIPs
Transit accessNo transit data
EPA publishes no stop distance for most block groups
Typical commuteShorter commute than typical
18 minutes one way · US median ZIP 22 · US Census ACS · above 79% of scored ZIPs
Jobs nearbyFew jobs nearby
69 jobs per sq mi · US Census LODES · above 32% of scored ZIPs
Physical riskRelatively Moderate (FEMA)
FEMA National Risk Index composite · Dec 2025 release · above 58% of scored ZIPs

Bands are each source’s own · tick marks the national median ZIP · not blended into the score

Hazard ledger · FEMA National Risk Index

Tract-level rolled up to ZIP · not a property-level rating · no future-year projection · refreshed annually (Dec 2025 release) · county tick = median of 23 scored ZIPs in Carroll County

Housing cost burden · US Census ACS
Owners spending over 50% of income4%
US median ZIP 6%
Renters spending over 30% of income16%
US median ZIP 45%

What drives the score

Five pillars, each scored 0–100

Affordability

14/100

Growth momentum

59/100

Market risk

51/100

Momentum

42/100

Livability

61/100
Walkability
1–20 index · June 2021 vintage·EPA Smart Location Database
6.1
Transit access
Ranked against every scored ZIP·EPA Smart Location Database
Job density
Jobs per square mile, ranked against every scored ZIP·US Census LODES
69.4

See every input behind the pillars, with its value and source

Inside: Affordability: Price-to-income, Property tax rate, Median income · Growth momentum: 12-month price change, 12-month rent change, Population · Market risk: Overvaluation, Active listings, Price cuts · Momentum: Days on market, Buyer / seller gauge, Demand dial

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Market signals

Tailwinds and headwinds right now

Top 5 of 14 signals
Tailwinds1
  • Strong job market
    2.9% unemployment
Headwinds4
  • High price-to-income
    7.7× income — well above the national median
  • Population outflow
    -3.8% net — people leaving
  • Potentially overvalued
    85% above historical price-to-income
  • Widespread price cuts
    22% of listings cutting price
Buyer / seller gauge

Market conditions

Leaning Buyer

Conditions are easing in buyers' favor. The score reads more negotiation room than balanced.

-8
Strong buyerBalancedStrong seller
Trend
Cooling toward buyer
Gauge since Mar 2026Leaning Buyer now

Cycle read. Cooling: prices +2.6% over the trailing year, with the market leaning toward buyers.

Asking vs closed
Typical value (index)
$652,721
Zillow ZHVI · Sep 2026
Median sale price
Redfin
Sale-to-list
Redfin
Sold above list
Redfin

The Zillow figure is a smoothed index of typical value, not a list price; the Redfin figures are closed sales for the month shown. Redfin does not publish every ZIP every month; a dash means no closed-sale figure for the latest month.

Momentum check

What's changed in the last 90 days

🔒 Haven
Locked

Median price

🔒 Haven
Locked

Inventory

🔒 Haven
Locked

Days on market

Change vs. prior 90 days · arrow shows direction, not whether it’s good or bad

Pulse signals unlock with Haven, plus a one-line market interpretation.

The 90-day numbers behind each tile open with Haven

Trend

Where it's been

Peak
$668,312
Nov 2024
From peak
-2.3%
20 mo ago
Since Jan 2019
+81.8%
Worst 12 mo
-5.1%
to Nov 2025
Best 12 mo
+35.1%
since 2018

Zillow ZHVI peaked at $668,312 in Nov 2024; the latest value is -2.3% from that peak, 20 months on. Since January 2019 it is +81.8%. The sharpest 12-month move was -5.1%, ending Nov 2025.

Cycle position — prices vs the model’s value estimate and the payment’s share of income vs five years ago — opens with Pro

Appreciation by window

Zillow ZHVI · rank among scored ZIPs
WindowChangePer yearUS rankNew Hampshire rank
1 yearup+2.5%+2.6%/yrHigher than 59% nationallyHigher than 43% in New Hampshire
3 yearsup+5.2%+1.7%/yrHigher than 28% nationallyHigher than 1% in New Hampshire
5 yearsup+24.4%+4.5%/yrHigher than 41% nationallyHigher than 1% in New Hampshire
10 yearsup+111.4%+7.8%/yrTop 20% nationallyHigher than 15% in New Hampshire
Since 2000up+319.3%+5.6%/yr

Starter homes vs the top tier

Zillow ZHVI tiers · Jul 2026
Bottom third (starter homes)
$435,951
up+45% 5Yup+159% 10Y
Middle third
$652,721
up+21% 5Yup+107% 10Y
Top third
$1,385,288
up+35% 5Yup+122% 10Y

Starter homes here rose 45% in five years while top-tier homes rose 35% (Zillow ZHVI tiers) — the bottom of the market outpaced the top.

3-bedroom homes here run 18% above 2-bedrooms (Zillow ZHVI by bedroom); the NH median premium is 29%.

By home type · Zillow ZHVI mid tier
Single-family
$661,689
up+19% 5Y
Condo / co-op
$597,455
down-2% 5Y

Condos here are priced 10% below single-family homes (Zillow ZHVI by home type); over five years single-family rose 19% while condos fell 2%.

The historical reading — which months run highest and lowest here — opens with Haven

Rent, inventory, days on market, Zillow’s market heat, the % view and state and US reference lines open with Haven

Forecast

Where it's heading

The HavenScore Forecast Model (v1) projects this ZIP’s median value at 3-, 6-, and 12-month horizons, with 80% prediction intervals; Pro adds 24- and 36-month horizons.

Price Forecast

3-month projection · 80% range

🔒 Haven
3-month shown  |  6 & 12 months with Haven →
3-month
$648,544
-0.6%
80% range $632.4K$664.5K
6-month
🔒 Haven
12-month
🔒 Haven

Of the 3-month ranges we published since December 2025, 60% contained the actual price. Track record →

6- and 12-month projections, their 80% ranges, and what moves the forecast unlock with Haven.

Forecasts are the model’s projection, not a prediction. Actuals will differ.

See the 6- and 12-month price ranges for this ZIP and what moves the forecast

Haven · 14-day free trial · then from $8/mo

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Monthly cost

What you'd owe each month

Est. monthly payment
$4,568/ mo

20% down · 30-yr fixed · 6.71% · tax 1.93%

Principal$453
Interest$2,920
Property tax$1,050
Insurance$145
Rent vs buy

Rent data isn’t published for this ZIP, so we can’t compute a rent-vs-buy gap.

Insurance uses the average homeowners premium insurers reported for this ZIP in 2022, $1,744 a year (Treasury Federal Insurance Office).

Payment share of income

65%of the ZIP’s median income at the median value ($4,568/mo against $84,660 · Zillow, Freddie Mac PMMS, US Census ACS). Your own marker appears once you set an income or price in the calculator below.

Price-to-income · ZIP vs state vs US

Median home value ÷ median household income · Zillow ZHVI, US Census ACS · under 4× has historically been comfortable

Run the numbers

Your price, rate, down payment and income

Like for like: a 3-bedroom here rents for about $2,150 a month (HUD Small Area Fair Market Rent, FY2026) against a typical 3-bedroom value of $656k (Zillow ZHVI by bedroom) — a 3.9% gross rent yield.

Cost of ownership over time

Cumulative housing cost, interest paid, and equity built · 20% down · ZIP median income $84,660

See the 1-, 5-, and 30-year cost of owning here

Inside: Total housing cost · Interest paid · Principal paid · Equity built

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Equity assumes flat home value; real appreciation could push it higher · Rate 6.71%

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Comparable ZIPs

Same shape, lower entry

ZIPs the score groups near 03894 on Affordability and Growth — sorted by lowest median value. Each tile names what the lower price trades: commute (ACS), walkability band (EPA) and hazard rating (FEMA).

Sources

Every number, traced

Every metric above is sourced from public datasets, normalized against the national ZIP distribution. Home values and rents refresh monthly; demographics refresh annually.

Zillow Research
Home values, rents, inventory, transactions
Realtor.com
Inventory, days on market, price-cut share
Redfin
Sale prices, transaction volume
US Census ACS
Income, population, vacancy, cost burden
Freddie Mac PMMS
Current 30-year fixed mortgage rates
FHFA HPI
Long-term price trends
HUD Small Area FMR
Per-ZIP fair market rents (rural fallback)
BEA & IRS
Personal income growth, net migration
Lending & accessibility
Lending and neighborhood-access signals
Research the restNo crime or school rating here — why. The primary sources:GreatSchoolsNCES School SearchFBI Crime Data Explorer

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