Compare towns
Conway vs Meredith vs Sunapee vs Wilder
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Meredith has the most people working from home (23.7%).
Sunapee has the highest household income ($101k).
Wilder has grown the fastest since 2010 (+81.7%).
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 | Conway | Meredith | Sunapee | Wilder |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,141Highest |
6,758 |
3,416 |
3,087Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+81.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 55±4.1 41% above U.S. |
55.5±3.7 43% above U.S. |
56.7±1.4Highest 46% above U.S. |
45.5±8.9Lowest 17% above U.S. |
| Sunapee and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 12.4%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
12.6%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
9.9%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
11.8%±4.1 U.S.: 22% |
| Meredith and Conway are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 35.1%±5.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
34.2%±5 U.S.: 17.2% |
33.3%±7.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.3%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Conway and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
50.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
60.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±3 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±3.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
8.1%±3.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Wilder and Conway are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $64,385±$8kLowest 20% below U.S. |
$87,019±$19k 8% above U.S. |
$101,393±$20kHighest 26% above U.S. |
$75,143±$9k 7% below U.S. |
| Sunapee and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $314,000±$43k 6% below U.S. |
$480,100±$48kHighest 44% above U.S. |
$393,000±$51k 18% above U.S. |
$273,200±$18kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Meredith and Sunapee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,095±$141Lowest 23% below U.S. |
$1,149±$304 19% below U.S. |
$1,713±$451Highest 21% above U.S. |
$1,142±$451 19% below U.S. |
| Sunapee and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,087Lowest 31% above U.S. |
$5,006 61% above U.S. |
$4,400 41% above U.S. |
$5,505Highest 76% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.3%±13.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
48.5%±9.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
34.6%±10.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.9%±17.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Meredith and Conway are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
62.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 22% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
17 minLowest 37% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.4%±4.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
23.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.5%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.6%±6.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #76 of 120 in NH | #62 of 120 in NH | #14 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Conway School District | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | Sunapee School District | — |
| High school in town | Kennett High School | Inter-Lakes High School | Sunapee Sr. High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.7 |
11.1Lowest |
11.9Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.