Compare towns
Freedom vs Meredith 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
Freedom has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13.4%).
Meredith has the most people working from home (23.7%).
Sunapee has the highest household income ($101k).
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 | Freedom | Meredith | Sunapee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,494Lowest |
6,758Highest |
3,416 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+6.7% NH: +4.6% |
-0.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 60.6±3.2Highest 40% above NH |
55.5±3.7Lowest 28% above NH |
56.7±1.4 31% above NH |
| Freedom and Sunapee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.9%±5.4Highest NH: 18.2% |
12.6%±3.3 NH: 18.2% |
9.9%±3.4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Freedom and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 40.3%±4.7Highest NH: 20.1% |
34.2%±5 NH: 20.1% |
33.3%±7.1Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Freedom and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.4%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
45.9% NH: 40.6% |
50.6%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.5Lowest NH: 6% |
2.9%±1.2 NH: 6% |
4.5%±3.5Highest NH: 6% |
| Sunapee and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $66,136±$14kLowest 33% below NH |
$87,019±$19k 12% below NH |
$101,393±$20kHighest about the NH average |
| Sunapee and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $389,000±$43kLowest 3% below NH |
$480,100±$48kHighest 19% above NH |
$393,000±$51k about the NH average |
| Meredith and Sunapee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,149±$304Lowest 23% below NH |
$1,713±$451Highest 15% above NH |
| Sunapee and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,478Lowest 48% below NH |
$5,006Highest 25% below NH |
$4,400 34% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 79.6%±75Highest NH: 48.2% |
48.5%±9.2 NH: 48.2% |
34.6%±10.5Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Freedom and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 15%Highest NH: 7.2% |
7.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
12.4% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91%Highest NH: 72.8% |
75.8%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
75.9% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 4 yrs newer than NH |
1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest about the NH average |
26 minLowest about the NH average |
33 minHighest 23% above NH |
| Work from home | 18.5%±7.6 NH: 16.8% |
23.7%±4.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
9.5%±4.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Meredith and Freedom 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 | — | #62 of 120 in NH | #14 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Freedom School District | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | Sunapee School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Inter-Lakes High School | Sunapee Sr. High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1Lowest |
11.9Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.