Compare towns
Franconia vs New Castle vs Sugar Hill
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Franconia has the shortest commute (20 min average).
New Castle has the most expensive homes ($1701k median).
Sugar Hill has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.9%).
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 | Franconia | New Castle | Sugar Hill |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,060Highest |
827 |
658Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+3.3% NH: +4.6% |
+14.9%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 55.6±7Lowest 28% above NH |
62.8±6Highest 45% above NH |
60.8±2.1 40% above NH |
| New Castle and Sugar Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.2%±5.5Highest NH: 18.2% |
12.9%±7.1 NH: 18.2% |
10.3%±3.5Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Franconia and New Castle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 36.6%±6.7Lowest NH: 20.1% |
44.3%±16.1Highest NH: 20.1% |
37.2%±12.7 NH: 20.1% |
| New Castle and Sugar Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 57.9%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
68.8%Highest NH: 40.6% |
59% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±5.4Highest NH: 6% |
0.6%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
2%±3.1 NH: 6% |
| Franconia and Sugar Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $87,292±$28kLowest 12% below NH |
$176,953±$29kHighest 79% above NH |
$154,091±$32k 56% above NH |
| New Castle and Sugar Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $530,300±$96kLowest 32% above NH |
$1,701,300±$267kHighest 323% above NH |
$639,700±$50k 59% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,281±$278 14% below NH |
$3,501Highest 135% above NH |
$1,208±$630Lowest 19% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,451 12% above NH |
$8,509Highest 28% above NH |
$7,340Lowest 10% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 73.2%±74.4Highest NH: 48.2% |
0%±85.7Lowest NH: 48.2% |
40%±100 NH: 48.2% |
| Franconia and Sugar Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.6% NH: 7.2% |
0.9%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
93% NH: 72.8% |
95.4%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 2 yrs newer than NH |
1975 4 yrs older than NH |
1964Lowest 15 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 25% below NH |
33 minHighest 22% above NH |
26 min about the NH average |
| Work from home | 11.9%±5.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
40.1%±19.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
16.8%±4.8 NH: 16.8% |
| New Castle and Sugar Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Lafayette Regional School District | New Castle School District | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| 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.