Compare towns
Barre 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
Barre has the most affordable homes ($210k median).
Sunapee has the highest household income ($101k).
Wolfeboro has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.3%).
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 | Barre | Sunapee | Wolfeboro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,412Highest |
3,416Lowest |
6,571 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6Lowest 8% 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 | 13.5%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
9.9%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
13.7%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Wolfeboro and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±3.9Lowest 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+ | 36.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
45% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±3.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Sunapee and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $65,625±$7kLowest 19% 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 | $210,400±$15kLowest 37% below U.S. |
$393,000±$51k 18% above U.S. |
$546,500±$60kHighest 64% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,093±$58Lowest 23% below U.S. |
$1,713±$451Highest 21% above U.S. |
$1,103±$76 22% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,192Highest 66% above U.S. |
$4,400Lowest 41% above U.S. |
$4,531 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
34.6%±10.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
12%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Sunapee and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 17.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
78.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
24 min 10% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1 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 | #19 of 70 in VT | #14 of 120 in NH | #46 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Sunapee School District | Governor Wentworth Regional School District |
| High school in town | Spaulding Union High School | Sunapee Sr. High School | Kingswood Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
11.9Highest |
11.1 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.