Compare towns
Hope vs Sunapee vs Appleton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hope has the most people working from home (18.3%).
Sunapee has the highest household income ($101k).
Appleton has the most affordable homes ($236k 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 | Hope | Sunapee | Appleton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,748 |
3,416Highest |
1,360Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±3.1Lowest 15% above U.S. |
56.7±1.4Highest 46% above U.S. |
49.2±7.4 26% above U.S. |
| Sunapee and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.3%±5.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
9.9%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
15.3%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Hope and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
33.3%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.1%±9.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Sunapee and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
50.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±3.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Sunapee and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $86,766±$6k 7% above U.S. |
$101,393±$20kHighest 26% above U.S. |
$53,618±$19kLowest 34% below U.S. |
| Sunapee and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $373,400±$33k 12% above U.S. |
$393,000±$51kHighest 18% above U.S. |
$235,600±$33kLowest 29% below U.S. |
| Sunapee and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,219±$182 14% below U.S. |
$1,713±$451Highest 21% above U.S. |
$1,104±$82Lowest 22% below U.S. |
| Sunapee and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,842 23% above U.S. |
$4,400Highest 41% above U.S. |
$3,588Lowest 15% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.8%±38.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
34.6%±10.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
85.4%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Appleton and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991Highest 11 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1988 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
30 min 14% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.3%±10.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.5%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.1%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Hope and Appleton 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 | Hope Public Schools | Sunapee School District | Appleton Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Sunapee Sr. High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.9 |
— |
| 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.