Compare towns
Barnstead vs Meredith vs Sunapee
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Barnstead has the most kids (21% under 18).
Meredith has the most people working from home (23.7%).
Sunapee has the oldest population (median age 56.7).
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 | Barnstead | Meredith | Sunapee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,994 |
6,758Highest |
3,416Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+6.7% NH: +4.6% |
-0.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 42.8±3.1Lowest about the NH average |
55.5±3.7 28% above NH |
56.7±1.4Highest 31% above NH |
| Sunapee and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21%±5Highest NH: 18.2% |
12.6%±3.3 NH: 18.2% |
9.9%±3.4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 20.6%±4.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
34.2%±5Highest NH: 20.1% |
33.3%±7.1 NH: 20.1% |
| Meredith and Sunapee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.9%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
45.9% NH: 40.6% |
50.6%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.9%±2.9Highest NH: 6% |
2.9%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
4.5%±3.5 NH: 6% |
| Barnstead and Sunapee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $111,660±$12kHighest 13% above NH |
$87,019±$19kLowest 12% below NH |
$101,393±$20k about the NH average |
| Barnstead and Sunapee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $362,400±$25kLowest 10% below NH |
$480,100±$48kHighest 19% above NH |
$393,000±$51k about the NH average |
| Meredith and Sunapee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,395±$75 6% below NH |
$1,149±$304Lowest 23% below NH |
$1,713±$451Highest 15% above NH |
| Sunapee and Barnstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,003Highest 10% below NH |
$5,006 25% below NH |
$4,400Lowest 34% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.6%±50.9 NH: 48.2% |
48.5%±9.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
34.6%±10.5Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Meredith and Barnstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
7.7% NH: 7.2% |
12.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.6%Highest NH: 72.8% |
75.8%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
75.9% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 16% above NH |
26 minLowest about the NH average |
33 minHighest 23% above NH |
| Work from home | 13%±4.5 NH: 16.8% |
23.7%±4.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
9.5%±4.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #111 of 120 in NH | #62 of 120 in NH | #14 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Barnstead School District | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | Sunapee School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Inter-Lakes High School | Sunapee Sr. High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1Lowest |
11.9Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.