What stands out worked out from the figures below

Amherst has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.9%).

Sunapee has the most affordable homes ($393k 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	Amherst	Sunapee
People
Population	11,861Highest	3,416Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.9%Highest NH: +4.6%	-0.7%Lowest NH: +4.6%
Median age	45.9±3.5Lowest 6% above NH	56.7±1.4Highest 31% above NH
Kids under 18	22.4%±3.3Highest NH: 18.2%	9.9%±3.4Lowest NH: 18.2%
Age 65+	20.2%±3Lowest NH: 20.1%	33.3%±7.1Highest NH: 20.1%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	65.7%Highest NH: 40.6%	50.6%Lowest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.7%±1.5Lowest NH: 6%	4.5%±3.5Highest NH: 6%
	Sunapee and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$153,196±$10kHighest 55% above NH	$101,393±$20kLowest about the NH average
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$537,600±$30kHighest 34% above NH	$393,000±$51kLowest about the NH average
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,462±$256Lowest about the NH average	$1,713±$451Highest 15% above NH
	Sunapee and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$9,773Highest 47% above NH	$4,400Lowest 34% below NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	31.4%±9Lowest NH: 48.2%	34.6%±10.5Highest NH: 48.2%
	Sunapee and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4.4%Lowest NH: 7.2%	12.4%Highest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	91.9%Highest NH: 72.8%	75.9%Lowest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1978Highest 1 yr older than NH	1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minLowest 22% above NH	33 minHighest 23% above NH
Work from home	32.4%±5.5Highest NH: 16.8%	9.5%±4.5Lowest NH: 16.8%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#20 of 120 in NH	#14 of 120 in NH
School district	Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District	Sunapee School District
High school in town	Souhegan Coop High School	Sunapee Sr. High School
Students per teacherat that high school	10.4Lowest	11.9Highest
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.