Compare towns
Hancock vs Sunapee vs Sutton
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 expensive homes ($437k median).
Sunapee has the most renters (24.1% rent).
Sutton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.7%).
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 | Sunapee | Sutton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,791Lowest |
3,416Highest |
2,239 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.7% NH: +4.6% |
-0.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+7.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 53.8±4.5 24% above NH |
56.7±1.4Highest 31% above NH |
48.1±4.1Lowest 11% above NH |
| Sunapee and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.4%±2.2 NH: 18.2% |
9.9%±3.4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
20.5%±3.8Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Sutton and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 30.2%±2.7 NH: 20.1% |
33.3%±7.1Highest NH: 20.1% |
21.6%±5.9Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Sunapee and Hancock 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% |
50.6% NH: 40.6% |
44.3%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.6Lowest NH: 6% |
4.5%±3.5 NH: 6% |
4.9%±3.6Highest NH: 6% |
| Sutton and Sunapee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $95,208±$15kLowest 4% below NH |
$101,393±$20k about the NH average |
$130,313±$31kHighest 32% above NH |
| Sutton and Sunapee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,700±$22kHighest 8% above NH |
$393,000±$51k about the NH average |
$362,600±$16kLowest 10% below NH |
| Hancock and Sunapee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,208±$650Lowest 19% below NH |
$1,713±$451Highest 15% above NH |
$1,656±$614 11% above NH |
| Sunapee and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,884 3% above NH |
$4,400Lowest 34% below NH |
$7,652Highest 15% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32.4%±55.6 NH: 48.2% |
34.6%±10.5Highest NH: 48.2% |
27.6%±47.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Sunapee and Hancock 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% |
12.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.8% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.6% NH: 72.8% |
75.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
95.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 10 yrs older than NH |
1975Highest 4 yrs older than NH |
1971 8 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 24% above NH |
33 min 23% above NH |
29 minLowest 10% above NH |
| Work from home | 14.9%±3.2Highest NH: 16.8% |
9.5%±4.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
14.8%±5.6 NH: 16.8% |
| Hancock and Sutton 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 | — | #14 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Contoocook Valley School District | Sunapee School District | Kearsarge Regional School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Sunapee Sr. High School | Kearsarge Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.9Highest |
10.4Lowest |
| 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.