What stands out worked out from the figures below

Franklin has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.1%).

Sunapee has the most expensive 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Franklin	Sunapee
People
Population	8,799Highest	3,416Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3.1%Highest NH: +4.6%	-0.7%Lowest NH: +4.6%
Median age	42.7±2Lowest about the NH average	56.7±1.4Highest 31% above NH
Kids under 18	17.8%±3.5Highest NH: 18.2%	9.9%±3.4Lowest NH: 18.2%
Age 65+	21.3%±3.9Lowest NH: 20.1%	33.3%±7.1Highest NH: 20.1%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	19.1%Lowest NH: 40.6%	50.6%Highest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.2%±1.4Lowest NH: 6%	4.5%±3.5Highest NH: 6%
	Sunapee and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$71,648±$4kLowest 28% below NH	$101,393±$20kHighest about the NH average
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$262,200±$22kLowest 35% below NH	$393,000±$51kHighest about the NH average
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,110±$68Lowest 26% below NH	$1,713±$451Highest 15% above NH
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,886Highest 27% below NH	$4,400Lowest 34% below NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	38.8%±11.5Highest NH: 48.2%	34.6%±10.5Lowest NH: 48.2%
	Franklin and Sunapee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	7%Lowest NH: 7.2%	12.4%Highest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	64.2%Lowest NH: 72.8%	75.9%Highest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1959Lowest 20 yrs older than NH	1975Highest 4 yrs older than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	32 minLowest 18% above NH	33 minHighest 23% above NH
Work from home	8.3%±4.1Lowest NH: 16.8%	9.5%±4.5Highest NH: 16.8%
	Sunapee and Franklin 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	#112 of 120 in NH	#14 of 120 in NH
School district	Franklin School District	Sunapee School District
High school in town	Franklin High School	Sunapee Sr. High School
Students per teacherat that high school	16.2Highest	11.9Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.