Compare towns
Appleton vs Sunapee vs Wolfeboro
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).
Wolfeboro has the most people working from home (22.9%).
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 | Appleton | Sunapee | Wolfeboro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,360Lowest |
3,416 |
6,571Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4Lowest 26% above U.S. |
56.7±1.4 46% above U.S. |
57±1.8Highest 47% above U.S. |
| Wolfeboro and Sunapee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.3%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
9.9%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
13.7%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Appleton and Wolfeboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.1%±9.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
33.3%±7.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
34.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wolfeboro and Sunapee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
45% 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% |
2.8%±1.8Lowest 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±$19kLowest 34% below U.S. |
$101,393±$20kHighest 26% above U.S. |
$94,375±$22k 17% above U.S. |
| Sunapee and Wolfeboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $235,600±$33kLowest 29% below U.S. |
$393,000±$51k 18% above U.S. |
$546,500±$60kHighest 64% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,104±$82 22% below U.S. |
$1,713±$451Highest 21% above U.S. |
$1,103±$76Lowest 22% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,588Lowest 15% above U.S. |
$4,400 41% above U.S. |
$4,531Highest 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
34.6%±10.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
12%±11.6Lowest 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 14% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 10% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.5%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.9%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #14 of 120 in NH | #46 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | Sunapee School District | Governor Wentworth Regional School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Sunapee Sr. High School | Kingswood Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.9Highest |
11.1Lowest |
| 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.