Compare towns
Goshen vs Bow 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
Goshen has the most affordable homes ($256k median).
Bow has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).
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.
| Measure | Goshen | Bow | Sunapee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,042Lowest |
8,335Highest |
3,416 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-0.7% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 54.1±16.1 25% above NH |
41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH |
56.7±1.4Highest 31% above NH |
| Sunapee and Goshen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 26.8%±5.9Highest NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6 NH: 18.2% |
9.9%±3.4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Goshen and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.5%±8 NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
33.3%±7.1Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Sunapee and Goshen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
60.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
50.6% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.9%±0.7Lowest NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9Highest NH: 6% |
4.5%±3.5 NH: 6% |
| Bow and Sunapee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $70,417±$26kLowest 29% below NH |
$172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
$101,393±$20k about the NH average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $255,600±$53kLowest 36% below NH |
$506,500±$34kHighest 26% above NH |
$393,000±$51k about the NH average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,938±$416Highest 30% above NH |
$1,539±$178Lowest 3% above NH |
$1,713±$451 15% above NH |
| Goshen and Sunapee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,760 29% below NH |
$9,584Highest 44% above NH |
$4,400Lowest 34% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.2%±74.1Highest NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
34.6%±10.5Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Goshen and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.5% NH: 7.2% |
2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
12.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.4%Highest NH: 72.8% |
87.5% NH: 72.8% |
75.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 8 yrs older than NH |
1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1975 4 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 13% below NH |
27 min about the NH average |
33 minHighest 23% above NH |
| Work from home | 6.8%±4.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
9.5%±4.5 NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #26 of 120 in NH | #14 of 120 in NH |
| School district | — | Bow School District | Sunapee School District |
| High school in town | — | Bow High School | Sunapee Sr. High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8Highest |
11.9Lowest |
| 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.