Compare towns
Hancock 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
Hancock has the most kids (15.4% 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 | Hancock | Meredith | Sunapee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,791Lowest |
6,758Highest |
3,416 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.7% NH: +4.6% |
+6.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-0.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 53.8±4.5Lowest 24% 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 | 15.4%±2.2Highest NH: 18.2% |
12.6%±3.3 NH: 18.2% |
9.9%±3.4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Hancock and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 30.2%±2.7Lowest 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+ | 53.9%Highest NH: 40.6% |
45.9%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
50.6% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.6 NH: 6% |
2.9%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
4.5%±3.5Highest NH: 6% |
| Sunapee and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $95,208±$15k 4% below NH |
$87,019±$19kLowest 12% below NH |
$101,393±$20kHighest about the NH average |
| Sunapee and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,700±$22k 8% above NH |
$480,100±$48kHighest 19% above NH |
$393,000±$51kLowest about the NH average |
| Meredith and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,208±$650 19% below NH |
$1,149±$304Lowest 23% below NH |
$1,713±$451Highest 15% above NH |
| Sunapee and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,884Highest 3% above NH |
$5,006 25% below NH |
$4,400Lowest 34% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32.4%±55.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
48.5%±9.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
34.6%±10.5 NH: 48.2% |
| Meredith and Sunapee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.1%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
7.7% NH: 7.2% |
12.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.6%Highest NH: 72.8% |
75.8%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
75.9% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 10 yrs older than NH |
1975Highest 4 yrs older than NH |
1975Highest 4 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 24% above NH |
26 minLowest about the NH average |
33 min 23% above NH |
| Work from home | 14.9%±3.2 NH: 16.8% |
23.7%±4.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
9.5%±4.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #62 of 120 in NH | #14 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Contoocook Valley 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 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.