Compare towns
Appleton vs Sunapee vs Strong
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Appleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Sunapee has the highest household income ($101k).
Strong has the most people working from home (18.5%).
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 | Appleton | Sunapee | Strong |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,360 |
3,416Highest |
1,249Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
-7.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4 26% above U.S. |
56.7±1.4Highest 46% above U.S. |
47.5±8.9Lowest 22% above U.S. |
| Sunapee and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.3%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
9.9%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.5%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Strong and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.1%±9.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
33.3%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Sunapee and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
50.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
26.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±3.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Sunapee and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $53,618±$19k 34% below U.S. |
$101,393±$20kHighest 26% above U.S. |
$47,557±$10kLowest 41% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $235,600±$33k 29% below U.S. |
$393,000±$51kHighest 18% above U.S. |
$183,900±$29kLowest 45% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,104±$82 22% below U.S. |
$1,713±$451Highest 21% above U.S. |
$920±$276Lowest 35% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,588 15% above U.S. |
$4,400Highest 41% above U.S. |
$1,950Lowest 37% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
34.6%±10.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
20.9%±52.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Appleton and Sunapee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
13.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minLowest 14% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
31 min 18% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.5%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.5%±9.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Strong and Appleton 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 | Appleton Public Schools | Sunapee School District | RSU 58/MSAD 58 |
| 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 History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.