Compare towns
Exeter vs Meredith vs Ogunquit vs Sunapee
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Exeter has the most kids (17% under 18).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Sunapee has the most affordable homes ($393k 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 | Exeter | Meredith | Ogunquit | Sunapee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 16,151Highest |
6,758 |
1,379Lowest |
3,416 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3Lowest 18% above U.S. |
55.5±3.7 43% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
56.7±1.4 46% above U.S. |
| Ogunquit and Sunapee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.6%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
9.9%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Exeter and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 24.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
34.2%±5 U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
33.3%±7.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ogunquit and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 59.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
45.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±3.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Sunapee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $110,346±$13k 37% above U.S. |
$87,019±$19kLowest 8% above U.S. |
$114,259±$56kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$101,393±$20k 26% above U.S. |
| Ogunquit and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $456,600±$21k 37% above U.S. |
$480,100±$48k 44% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
$393,000±$51kLowest 18% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$1,149±$304Lowest 19% below U.S. |
— | $1,713±$451 21% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Sunapee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$5,006 61% above U.S. |
$4,473 43% above U.S. |
$4,400Lowest 41% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.5%±9.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
34.6%±10.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
26 min about the U.S. average |
33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
23.7%±4.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.5%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #22 of 120 in NH | #62 of 120 in NH | — | #14 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | — | Sunapee School District |
| High school in town | Exeter High School | Inter-Lakes High School | — | Sunapee Sr. High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Highest |
11.1Lowest |
— | 11.9 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 59 photos → | 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.