Compare towns
Bethlehem vs St. Albans 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
Bethlehem has the most people working from home (31.2%).
St. Albans has the most renters (51% rent).
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 | Bethlehem | St. Albans | Sunapee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,537Lowest |
6,954Highest |
3,416 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.6±8.5 30% above U.S. |
38.7±2Lowest about the U.S. average |
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 | 17.7%±5.4 U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±3.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
9.9%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| St. Albans 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
13.9%±2.5Lowest 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+ | 45.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
31.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.9%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±3.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Sunapee and St. Albans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $85,029±$18k 5% above U.S. |
$57,980±$7kLowest 28% below 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 | $288,300±$22k 13% below U.S. |
$263,400±$18kLowest 21% below U.S. |
$393,000±$51kHighest 18% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,174±$81 17% below U.S. |
$1,150±$78Lowest 19% below U.S. |
$1,713±$451Highest 21% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,418Highest 74% above U.S. |
$4,436 42% above U.S. |
$4,400Lowest 41% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.3%±18.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
51.8%±11.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
34.6%±10.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| St. Albans and Bethlehem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
19.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
49%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 23% below U.S. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 31.2%±12.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.1%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.5%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #34 of 120 in NH | #46 of 70 in VT | #14 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bethlehem School District · Profile School District | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 | Sunapee School District |
| High school in town | Profile Senior High School | Bellows Free Academy (St. Albans) | Sunapee Sr. High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.9Lowest |
11.4 |
11.9Highest |
| 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.