Compare towns
Mapleton vs Meredith vs Sunapee vs Unity
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mapleton has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
Meredith has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.7%).
Sunapee has the highest household income ($101k).
Unity has the most homeowners (94.5%).
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 | Mapleton | Meredith | Sunapee | Unity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,884 |
6,758Highest |
3,416 |
1,375Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
-9.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±6Lowest 7% above U.S. |
55.5±3.7 43% above U.S. |
56.7±1.4 46% above U.S. |
58±4.5Highest 49% above U.S. |
| Unity and Sunapee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±5.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.6%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
9.9%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
12%±4.1 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 18.3%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
34.2%±5 U.S.: 17.2% |
33.3%±7.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
34.9%±7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Unity and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
45.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
50.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
21.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±3.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
1%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Mapleton and Sunapee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $91,731±$25k 14% above U.S. |
$87,019±$19kLowest 8% above U.S. |
$101,393±$20kHighest 26% above U.S. |
$87,500±$16k 8% above U.S. |
| Sunapee and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $191,800±$23kLowest 42% below U.S. |
$480,100±$48kHighest 44% above U.S. |
$393,000±$51k 18% above U.S. |
$276,100±$29k 17% 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 | $610±$277Lowest 57% below U.S. |
$1,149±$304 19% below U.S. |
$1,713±$451Highest 21% above U.S. |
$1,625±$804 15% above U.S. |
| Sunapee and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,789Lowest 43% below U.S. |
$5,006 61% above U.S. |
$4,400 41% above U.S. |
$5,394Highest 73% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.5%±9.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
34.6%±10.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
40%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Meredith and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 5% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
33 min 24% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 32% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
23.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.5%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.5%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #62 of 120 in NH | #14 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | Sunapee School District | Unity School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Inter-Lakes High School | Sunapee Sr. High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1Lowest |
11.9Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.