Compare towns
Dalton vs Sunapee vs Cornish
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dalton has the most kids (20.6% under 18).
Sunapee has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.7%).
Cornish has the most people working from home (12%).
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 | Dalton | Sunapee | Cornish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 916Lowest |
3,416Highest |
1,816 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
-0.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-1.5% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 44.5±12.9Lowest about the NH average |
56.7±1.4Highest 31% above NH |
54±8.3 25% 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 | 20.6%±11.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
9.9%±3.4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
14.4%±3.2 NH: 18.2% |
| Dalton and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.8%±1.3Lowest NH: 20.1% |
33.3%±7.1Highest NH: 20.1% |
27.3%±4.1 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+ | 20.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
50.6%Highest NH: 40.6% |
40.6% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±4.3Highest NH: 6% |
4.5%±3.5 NH: 6% |
1.4%±0.9Lowest NH: 6% |
| Dalton and Sunapee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $81,429±$36kLowest 18% below NH |
$101,393±$20kHighest about the NH average |
$91,821±$2k 7% below NH |
| Sunapee and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $191,400±$68kLowest 52% below NH |
$393,000±$51kHighest about the NH average |
$296,000±$69k 26% below NH |
| Sunapee and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $900±$825Lowest 40% below NH |
$1,713±$451Highest 15% above NH |
$1,221±$227 18% below NH |
| Sunapee and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,561Lowest 47% below NH |
$4,400 34% below NH |
$5,796Highest 13% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.7%±83.7Highest NH: 48.2% |
34.6%±10.5Lowest NH: 48.2% |
40.5%±38.1 NH: 48.2% |
| Dalton and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 19.7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
12.4% NH: 7.2% |
4.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.7% NH: 72.8% |
75.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
94.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
1980 1 yr newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 26% below NH |
33 minHighest 23% above NH |
24 min 9% below NH |
| Work from home | 5.9%±2.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
9.5%±4.5 NH: 16.8% |
12%±4.1Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Cornish and Sunapee 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 | Cornish School District |
| High school in town | — | Sunapee Sr. High School | None in town |
| 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.