Compare towns
Bennington 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
Bennington has the most affordable homes ($213k 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 | Bennington | Sunapee | Wolfeboro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,249Highest |
3,416Lowest |
6,571 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.7±2.3Lowest 15% 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 | 17.7%±2.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
9.9%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
13.7%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Bennington and Wolfeboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±2.8Lowest 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+ | 36.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
45% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±3.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bennington and Sunapee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $59,446±$7kLowest 26% 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 | $213,300±$15kLowest 36% below U.S. |
$393,000±$51k 18% above U.S. |
$546,500±$60kHighest 64% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,133±$63 20% below U.S. |
$1,713±$451Highest 21% above U.S. |
$1,103±$76Lowest 22% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,513 45% above U.S. |
$4,400Lowest 41% above U.S. |
$4,531Highest 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.8%±14.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
34.6%±10.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
12%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 13.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
78.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 19 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 | 17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
24 min 10% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.1%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.5%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.9%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Wolfeboro and Bennington 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 | #58 of 70 in VT | #14 of 120 in NH | #46 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Sunapee School District | Governor Wentworth Regional School District |
| High school in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | Sunapee Sr. High School | Kingswood Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.7Highest |
11.9 |
11.1Lowest |
| 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.