What stands out worked out from the figures below

Center Harbor has the shortest commute (25 min average).

Sunapee has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.7%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Center Harbor	Sunapee
People
Population	955Lowest	3,416Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-5.1%Lowest NH: +4.6%	-0.7%Highest NH: +4.6%
Median age	60.4±4.8Highest 39% above NH	56.7±1.4Lowest 31% above NH
	Center Harbor and Sunapee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	11.9%±5.4Highest NH: 18.2%	9.9%±3.4Lowest NH: 18.2%
	Center Harbor and Sunapee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	39.5%±13.2Highest NH: 20.1%	33.3%±7.1Lowest NH: 20.1%
	Center Harbor and Sunapee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	47.1%Lowest NH: 40.6%	50.6%Highest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	0.9%±1.1Lowest NH: 6%	4.5%±3.5Highest NH: 6%
	Sunapee and Center Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$104,313±$16kHighest 5% above NH	$101,393±$20kLowest about the NH average
	Center Harbor and Sunapee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$463,800±$74kHighest 15% above NH	$393,000±$51kLowest about the NH average
	Center Harbor and Sunapee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	—	$1,713±$451 15% above NH
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,667Highest 30% below NH	$4,400Lowest 34% below NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	14.3%±59.4Lowest NH: 48.2%	34.6%±10.5Highest NH: 48.2%
	Sunapee and Center Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	2%Lowest NH: 7.2%	12.4%Highest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	91%Highest NH: 72.8%	75.9%Lowest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1982Highest 3 yrs newer than NH	1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	25 minLowest 8% below NH	33 minHighest 23% above NH
Work from home	8.9%±5Lowest NH: 16.8%	9.5%±4.5Highest NH: 16.8%
	Sunapee and Center Harbor 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
High school in town	—	Sunapee Sr. High School
Students per teacherat that high school	—	11.9
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.