Compare towns
Gilford 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
Gilford has the most kids (20.6% under 18).
Meredith has the most people working from home (23.7%).
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 | Gilford | Meredith | Sunapee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,830Highest |
6,758 |
3,416Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+6.7% NH: +4.6% |
-0.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 48.2±3.9Lowest 11% above NH |
55.5±3.7 28% above NH |
56.7±1.4Highest 31% above NH |
| Sunapee and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.6%±4.5Highest NH: 18.2% |
12.6%±3.3 NH: 18.2% |
9.9%±3.4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 21.8%±3.2Lowest NH: 20.1% |
34.2%±5Highest NH: 20.1% |
33.3%±7.1 NH: 20.1% |
| Meredith and Sunapee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.4%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
45.9% NH: 40.6% |
50.6%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±1.2Lowest 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 | $116,635±$11kHighest 18% above NH |
$87,019±$19kLowest 12% below NH |
$101,393±$20k about the NH average |
| Gilford and Sunapee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $456,500±$56k 13% above NH |
$480,100±$48kHighest 19% above NH |
$393,000±$51kLowest about the NH average |
| Meredith and Gilford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$747 23% below NH |
$1,149±$304Lowest 23% below NH |
$1,713±$451Highest 15% above NH |
| Sunapee and Gilford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,868 27% below NH |
$5,006Highest 25% below NH |
$4,400Lowest 34% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.2%±8.5Highest NH: 48.2% |
48.5%±9.2 NH: 48.2% |
34.6%±10.5Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Gilford and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.2%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
7.7% NH: 7.2% |
12.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.1%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 | 22 minLowest 18% below NH |
26 min about the NH average |
33 minHighest 23% above NH |
| Work from home | 16.9%±4.8 NH: 16.8% |
23.7%±4.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
9.5%±4.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Meredith and Gilford 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 | #45 of 120 in NH | #62 of 120 in NH | #14 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Gilford School District | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | Sunapee School District |
| High school in town | Gilford High School | Inter-Lakes High School | Sunapee Sr. High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.5 |
11.1Lowest |
11.9Highest |
| 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.