Tuftonboro — “The Diamond in The Heart of New Hampshire”

Located just west of Wolfeboro, Tuftonboro is called “The Diamond in the Heart of New Hampshire.” The town comprises the villages of Mirror Lake, Tuftonboro Corner, and Melvin Village. It has miles of water frontage on Lake Winnipesaukee and Mirror Lake, with scenic lake and mountain views. Located on the northern side of Lake Winnipesaukee, this charming, small New England community has a wonderful feel of bygone days. The Bald Peak Colony Club in charming Melvin Village features a historic private country club and private residential community along the shores of Lake Winnipesaukee. There are two marinas in Tuftonboro Melvin Village Marina and Lanes End Marina.

Tuftonboro was the only incorporated place in NH owned by just one man, John Tufton Mason, for whom the town was named. Mason was heir to the Masonian Claim, the undivided lands of northern New Hampshire, which he sold in 1746. The town was named “Tuftonborough” in 1750 by colonial Governor Wentworth. It was later incorporated in 1795. In those days, the primary occupation was raising cattle & sheep, a couple of sawmills, and gristmills.

By the mid-1800s, approximately 50% of the town was cleared for farming. Today about 85% or 22,000 acres of Tuftonboro is forested, and almost 37% of Tuftonboro property is in the current use program, which explains the reasoning behind the town’s natural beauty.

Tuftonboro is located in Carroll County and has a population of 2,467, according to the 2020 census. The town has a total area of 49.4 square miles, of which 40.5 square miles are land, and 8.9 square miles are water. Bounded on the southwest by Lake Winnipesaukee, the shoreline is gorgeous with westerly views overlooking the 72 square mile lake with 254 islands. Mirror Lake is a scenic 333-acre water body across the road from the big lake. To the north, Dan Hole Pond, a 443-acre water body, splits the towns of Tuftonboro and Ossipee. This scenic protected pond has a maximum depth of 130 feet and is classified as a coldwater fishery. Lower Beech Pond, with 160-acres and a maximum depth of 50 feet, is in a remote area with clear water and is a destination pond for brown and rainbow trout fishing. The highest point in Tuftonboro is the South Peak of Mount Shaw, with an elevation of 2,930 feet. Also part of Tuftonboro is a number of islands on Lake Winnipesaukee, including Little Bear Island, Cow Island, Whortleberry Island, Ragged Island, and others. Ragged is owned by the Lakes Region Conservation Trust and includes some docking, nature trails, and a few beautiful secluded beaches. 19 Mile Bay includes a beautiful beach for swimming and picnicking.

The Pier 19 Country Store offers a nice selection of products overlooking the lake. The Melvin Village Town Pier Beach with limited parking is like going back in time with the antique nostalgia of this quaint village.

The Tuftonboro Historical Society was founded in 1965 and is housed in the Historical Society Museum, which was a one-room schoolhouse in the early 1800s. On Route 109, the Abenakee Tower is just a five-minute walk to an 80-foot tower overlooking Winnipesaukee and the Ossipee Mountains.

Tuftonboro Central School (k-6, 120 students) is part of the Governor Wentworth Regional School District with high ranking Kingswood Regional Middle School and Kingswood High School in Wolfeboro provide excellent education through high school. 

Tuftonboro has miles of winding back roads, rolling fields, old homesteads, working farms, and beautiful scenic views of the lakes and mountains. The rural character of the town and its countryside is unsurpassed, especially during the radiant fall season.

Here’s a look at how the real estate market in town has been performing over the past three years:

• In 2021 there were 71 single-family home sales. The median sales price was $465,000. The average sales price was $784,552. The lowest sales price was $210,000. The highest sales price was $6,400,000. Median days on the market was 18. Total sales volume was $55,703,205.
• In 2020 there were 87 single-family home sales. The median sales price was $433,000. The average sales price was $582,011. The lowest sales price was $53,500. The highest sales price was $2,705,000. Median days on the market was 20. Total sales volume was $50,635,017.
• In 2019 there were 57 single-family home sales. The median sales price was $390,000. The average sales price was $469,872. The lowest sales price was $35,000. The highest sales price was $2,000,000. Median days on the market was 34. Total sales volume was $26,782,750.
• At the present time, there are 4 single-family homes under contract where the median listing price was $674,500.
• At the present time, there are only 17 single-family homes for sale. The median list price is $449,950. The average list price is $582,935. The lowest listing price is $359,900. The highest listing price is $995,000. Median days on the market is 67.

 In summary, you can see why Tuftonboro is such a desirable community to live in. In the last three years, median sales price and total sales volume have gone up considerably. Like all of New Hampshire’s Lakes Region communities, there is a servere lack of available inventory. The median sales price ran up from $390,000 in 2019 to $465,000 in 2021, a $75,000 increase. We at Roche Realty Group are working diligently to acquire new listings in preparation for the spring market. With more buyers than sellers, now is the time to list your property!

Photo caption (ABOVE MAIN PHOTO): Melvin Island and Chase Island with the mainland of Tuftonboro in the background.

This article was written by Frank Roche. Frank is president of Roche Realty Group with offices in Meredith and Laconia, NH, and can be reached at (603) 279-7046. Town data was compiled by a NEREN search on 2/2/2022 at 11:00 am EST and is subject to change. Please feel free to visit www.rocherealty.com to learn more about the Lakes Region and its real estate market.