Compare towns
Lebanon vs Meredith vs Sunapee vs Wilder
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lebanon has the most renters (48.8% rent).
Meredith has the most expensive homes ($480k median).
Sunapee has the highest household income ($101k).
Wilder has grown the fastest since 2010 (+81.7%).
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 | Lebanon | Meredith | Sunapee | Wilder |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 14,999Highest |
6,758 |
3,416 |
3,087Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+81.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.9±3.1Lowest about the U.S. average |
55.5±3.7 43% above U.S. |
56.7±1.4Highest 46% above U.S. |
45.5±8.9 17% above U.S. |
| Sunapee and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.6%±2.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.6%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
9.9%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
11.8%±4.1 U.S.: 22% |
| Lebanon and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
34.2%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
33.3%±7.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.3%±4.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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+ | 57.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
45.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
60.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.9%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±3.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
8.1%±3.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Wilder and Lebanon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $98,147±$10k 22% above U.S. |
$87,019±$19k 8% above U.S. |
$101,393±$20kHighest 26% above U.S. |
$75,143±$9kLowest 7% below U.S. |
| Sunapee and Lebanon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $385,400±$29k 16% above U.S. |
$480,100±$48kHighest 44% above U.S. |
$393,000±$51k 18% above U.S. |
$273,200±$18kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Meredith and Sunapee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,744±$132Highest 23% above U.S. |
$1,149±$304 19% below U.S. |
$1,713±$451 21% above U.S. |
$1,142±$451Lowest 19% below U.S. |
| Lebanon and Sunapee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,149Highest 161% above U.S. |
$5,006 61% above U.S. |
$4,400Lowest 41% above U.S. |
$5,505 76% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.9%±7.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
48.5%±9.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
34.6%±10.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.9%±17.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Meredith and Lebanon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 51.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
62.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 same as U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 14 minLowest 47% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
17 min 37% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.8%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
23.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.5%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.6%±6.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Meredith and Lebanon 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 | #29 of 120 in NH | #62 of 120 in NH | #14 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Lebanon School District | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | Sunapee School District | — |
| High school in town | Lebanon High School | Inter-Lakes High School | Sunapee Sr. High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.7 |
11.1Lowest |
11.9Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.