Compare towns
Brookfield vs Sunapee vs Braintree
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brookfield has the most kids (18.8% under 18).
Sunapee has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.7%).
Braintree has the most affordable homes ($218k 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 | Brookfield | Sunapee | Braintree |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,486 |
3,416Highest |
1,026Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47±5.9Lowest 21% above U.S. |
56.7±1.4 46% above U.S. |
58.4±2.4Highest 50% above U.S. |
| Braintree and Sunapee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±4.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
9.9%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
12.3%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Brookfield and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.7%±6.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
33.3%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
33.2%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Sunapee and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
50.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
30.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±3.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.8%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Sunapee and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $98,500±$23k 22% above U.S. |
$101,393±$20kHighest 26% above U.S. |
$79,803±$5kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Sunapee and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $339,300±$15k about the U.S. average |
$393,000±$51kHighest 18% above U.S. |
$217,700±$28kLowest 35% below U.S. |
| Sunapee and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $975±$306 31% below U.S. |
$1,713±$451Highest 21% above U.S. |
$840±$405Lowest 41% below U.S. |
| Sunapee and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,560Highest 46% above U.S. |
$4,400 41% above U.S. |
$3,908Lowest 25% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.4%±27.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
34.6%±10.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
43.4%±29.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Braintree and Sunapee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 38% above U.S. |
33 min 24% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 27.3%±10.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.5%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±7.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brookfield and Braintree 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 | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Sunapee School District | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 |
| High school in town | None 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.