Compare towns
Gray vs Sunapee vs Wells
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Gray has the youngest population (median age 43.4).
Sunapee has the most renters (24.1% rent).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).
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 | Gray | Sunapee | Wells |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,429 |
3,416Lowest |
11,713Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+18%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5Lowest 12% above U.S. |
56.7±1.4Highest 46% above U.S. |
53.6±3.8 38% above U.S. |
| Sunapee and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
9.9%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Gray and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
33.3%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
31%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Sunapee and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
50.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gray and Sunapee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $95,236±$8k 18% above U.S. |
$101,393±$20kHighest 26% above U.S. |
$88,024±$11kLowest 9% above U.S. |
| Sunapee and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $363,700±$20kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$393,000±$51k 18% above U.S. |
$485,300±$23kHighest 46% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89 about the U.S. average |
$1,713±$451Highest 21% above U.S. |
$1,350±$297Lowest 4% below U.S. |
| Sunapee and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,683 18% above U.S. |
$4,400Highest 41% above U.S. |
$3,215Lowest 3% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
34.6%±10.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.1%±19.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 8% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.5%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±4.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Wells and Gray 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 | #10 of 133 in ME | #14 of 120 in NH | #22 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Sunapee School District | Wells-Ogunquit CSD |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Sunapee Sr. High School | Wells High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Highest |
11.9 |
11.4Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.