Compare towns
Bath vs Bethlehem vs Sunapee
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bath has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3%).
Bethlehem has the most people working from home (31.2%).
Sunapee has the most expensive 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.
| Measure | Bath | Bethlehem | Sunapee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,815Highest |
2,537Lowest |
3,416 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.4±3Lowest 17% above U.S. |
50.6±8.5 30% above U.S. |
56.7±1.4Highest 46% above U.S. |
| Sunapee and Bethlehem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±5.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
9.9%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Bethlehem and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
28.2%±5.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
33.3%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Sunapee and Bethlehem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
50.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.9%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±3.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bath and Sunapee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $69,390±$12kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$85,029±$18k 5% above U.S. |
$101,393±$20kHighest 26% above U.S. |
| Sunapee and Bethlehem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $310,900±$30k 7% below U.S. |
$288,300±$22kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$393,000±$51kHighest 18% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,044±$116Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,174±$81 17% below U.S. |
$1,713±$451Highest 21% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,847Lowest 23% above U.S. |
$5,418Highest 74% above U.S. |
$4,400 41% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.3%±18.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
34.6%±10.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bath and Bethlehem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 9% below U.S. |
20 minLowest 23% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6 U.S.: 15.1% |
31.2%±12.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.5%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bethlehem and Bath 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 | #31 of 133 in ME | #34 of 120 in NH | #14 of 120 in NH |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Bethlehem School District · Profile School District | Sunapee School District |
| High school in town | Morse High School | Profile Senior High School | Sunapee Sr. High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
8.9Lowest |
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.