What stands out worked out from the figures below

Gilford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8%).

Sunapee has the most renters (24.1% rent).

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	Gilford	Sunapee
People
Population	7,830Highest	3,416Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+8%Highest NH: +4.6%	-0.7%Lowest NH: +4.6%
Median age	48.2±3.9Lowest 11% above NH	56.7±1.4Highest 31% above NH
Kids under 18	20.6%±4.5Highest NH: 18.2%	9.9%±3.4Lowest NH: 18.2%
Age 65+	21.8%±3.2Lowest NH: 20.1%	33.3%±7.1Highest NH: 20.1%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	45.4%Lowest NH: 40.6%	50.6%Highest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.3%±1.2Lowest NH: 6%	4.5%±3.5Highest NH: 6%
	Sunapee and Gilford 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	$101,393±$20kLowest 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±$56kHighest 13% above NH	$393,000±$51kLowest about the NH average
	Gilford and Sunapee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,150±$747Lowest 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	$4,868Highest 27% below NH	$4,400Lowest 34% below NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	62.2%±8.5Highest NH: 48.2%	34.6%±10.5Lowest NH: 48.2%
Below poverty line	6.2%Lowest NH: 7.2%	12.4%Highest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	93.1%Highest NH: 72.8%	75.9%Lowest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1983Highest 4 yrs newer than NH	1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	22 minLowest 18% below NH	33 minHighest 23% above NH
Work from home	16.9%±4.8Highest NH: 16.8%	9.5%±4.5Lowest NH: 16.8%
	Gilford and Sunapee 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	#14 of 120 in NH
School district	Gilford School District	Sunapee School District
High school in town	Gilford High School	Sunapee Sr. High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.5Lowest	11.9Highest
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.