Compare towns
Cornish vs Gilsum vs Sunapee
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cornish has the most kids (14.4% under 18).
Gilsum has the most affordable homes ($242k median).
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.
| Measure | Cornish | Gilsum | Sunapee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,816 |
716Lowest |
3,416Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5% NH: +4.6% |
-7.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
-0.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 54±8.3 25% above NH |
44.8±8.1Lowest 3% above NH |
56.7±1.4Highest 31% above NH |
| Sunapee and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.4%±3.2Highest NH: 18.2% |
12%±3.6 NH: 18.2% |
9.9%±3.4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Cornish and Gilsum are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.3%±4.1 NH: 20.1% |
19.3%±1.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
33.3%±7.1Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Sunapee and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.6% NH: 40.6% |
18.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
50.6%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±0.9Lowest NH: 6% |
3.1%±2.3 NH: 6% |
4.5%±3.5Highest NH: 6% |
| Sunapee and Gilsum are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,821±$2k 7% below NH |
$80,417±$7kLowest 19% below NH |
$101,393±$20kHighest about the NH average |
| Sunapee and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $296,000±$69k 26% below NH |
$241,500±$32kLowest 40% below NH |
$393,000±$51kHighest about the NH average |
| Sunapee and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,221±$227Lowest 18% below NH |
$1,575±$894 6% above NH |
$1,713±$451Highest 15% above NH |
| Sunapee and Gilsum are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,796Highest 13% below NH |
$5,579 16% below NH |
$4,400Lowest 34% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.5%±38.1 NH: 48.2% |
76.5%±55.4Highest NH: 48.2% |
34.6%±10.5Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Gilsum and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
13.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
12.4% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
93.5% NH: 72.8% |
75.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 1 yr newer than NH |
1972Lowest 7 yrs older than NH |
1975 4 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 9% below NH |
27 min about the NH average |
33 minHighest 23% above NH |
| Work from home | 12%±4.1Highest NH: 16.8% |
11.9%±8.7 NH: 16.8% |
9.5%±4.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Cornish and Gilsum 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 | Cornish School District | Monadnock Regional School District | Sunapee School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Sunapee Sr. High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.9 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.