Compare towns
Alstead vs Sunapee vs Marlow
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Alstead has the most people working from home (12.1%).
Sunapee has the most expensive homes ($393k median).
Marlow has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.9%).
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.
| Measure | Alstead | Sunapee | Marlow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,551 |
3,416Highest |
855Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.8%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
-0.7% NH: +4.6% |
+0.9%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 56±3.3 29% above NH |
56.7±1.4Highest 31% above NH |
52.8±11.7Lowest 22% above NH |
| Sunapee and Alstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.3%±3.1 NH: 18.2% |
9.9%±3.4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
20.5%±6.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Marlow and Alstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.8%±4.2Lowest NH: 20.1% |
33.3%±7.1Highest NH: 20.1% |
30.5%±5.7 NH: 20.1% |
| Sunapee and Marlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.3%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
50.6%Highest NH: 40.6% |
33.4% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2.6 NH: 6% |
4.5%±3.5Highest NH: 6% |
3.3%±2.2Lowest NH: 6% |
| Sunapee and Alstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $64,526±$11kLowest 35% below NH |
$101,393±$20k about the NH average |
$110,455±$12kHighest 12% above NH |
| Marlow and Sunapee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $271,600±$37kLowest 33% below NH |
$393,000±$51kHighest about the NH average |
$325,400±$49k 19% below NH |
| Sunapee and Marlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,713±$451Highest 15% above NH |
$1,154±$160Lowest 23% below NH |
| Sunapee and Marlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,322 20% below NH |
$4,400Lowest 34% below NH |
$5,826Highest 13% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 72.1%±22.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
34.6%±10.5 NH: 48.2% |
18.2%±95.1Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Below poverty line | 8.9%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
12.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
8.9%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76% NH: 72.8% |
75.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
92.6%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 6 yrs older than NH |
1975 4 yrs older than NH |
1981Highest 2 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minLowest 19% above NH |
33 min 23% above NH |
35 minHighest 31% above NH |
| Work from home | 12.1%±5.6Highest NH: 16.8% |
9.5%±4.5 NH: 16.8% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Alstead and Sunapee 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 | — | #14 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Fall Mountain Regional School District | Sunapee School District | Marlow School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Sunapee Sr. High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.9 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.