Compare towns
Bethlehem vs Bow 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
Bethlehem has the most people working from home (31.2%).
Bow has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).
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 | Bethlehem | Bow | Sunapee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,537Lowest |
8,335Highest |
3,416 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-0.7% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 50.6±8.5 17% above NH |
41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH |
56.7±1.4Highest 31% above NH |
| Sunapee and Bethlehem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.7%±5.4 NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
9.9%±3.4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Bethlehem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 28.2%±5.5 NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
33.3%±7.1Highest NH: 20.1% |
| 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+ | 45.1%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
60.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
50.6% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.9%±0.9Lowest NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9Highest NH: 6% |
4.5%±3.5 NH: 6% |
| Bow and Sunapee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $85,029±$18kLowest 14% below NH |
$172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
$101,393±$20k about the NH average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $288,300±$22kLowest 28% below NH |
$506,500±$34kHighest 26% above NH |
$393,000±$51k about the NH average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,174±$81Lowest 21% below NH |
$1,539±$178 3% above NH |
$1,713±$451Highest 15% above NH |
| Sunapee and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,418 19% below NH |
$9,584Highest 44% above NH |
$4,400Lowest 34% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.3%±18.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
34.6%±10.5Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Bethlehem and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.1% NH: 7.2% |
2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
12.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.3%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
87.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
75.9% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 6 yrs older than NH |
1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1975 4 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 24% below NH |
27 min about the NH average |
33 minHighest 23% above NH |
| Work from home | 31.2%±12.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
9.5%±4.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Bethlehem and Bow 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 | #34 of 120 in NH | #26 of 120 in NH | #14 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bethlehem School District · Profile School District | Bow School District | Sunapee School District |
| High school in town | Profile Senior High School | Bow High School | Sunapee Sr. High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.9Lowest |
12.8Highest |
11.9 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.