Compare towns
Bridgewater vs Sunapee vs Barnard
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bridgewater has the most affordable homes ($218k median).
Sunapee has the most renters (24.1% rent).
Barnard has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.8%).
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 | Bridgewater | Sunapee | Barnard |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 980Lowest |
3,416Highest |
1,211 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 57.1±8Highest 47% above U.S. |
56.7±1.4 46% above U.S. |
42.4±6Lowest 9% above U.S. |
| Bridgewater and Sunapee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.8%±5.8 U.S.: 22% |
9.9%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
26.9%±5.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 30.2%±0.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
33.3%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Sunapee and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
55.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±3.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±3.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bridgewater and Sunapee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $70,272±$3kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$101,393±$20kHighest 26% above U.S. |
$97,581±$19k 21% above U.S. |
| Sunapee and Barnard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $218,300±$55kLowest 34% below U.S. |
$393,000±$51k 18% above U.S. |
$402,600±$71kHighest 21% above U.S. |
| Barnard and Sunapee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $850±$778Lowest 40% below U.S. |
$1,713±$451Highest 21% above U.S. |
$1,372±$80 about the U.S. average |
| Sunapee and Barnard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,418Lowest 10% above U.S. |
$4,400 41% above U.S. |
$6,038Highest 94% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.7%±39.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
34.6%±10.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
27%±19.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bridgewater and Sunapee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 14.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.5%±6.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.5%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.3%±10.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Barnard and Bridgewater 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 | — | #14 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | — | Sunapee School District | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 |
| High school in town | — | Sunapee Sr. High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 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.