Compare towns
Mapleton vs Sunapee vs Hope vs Castle Hill
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 youngest population (median age 41.8).
Sunapee has the highest household income ($101k).
Hope has the most people working from home (18.3%).
Castle Hill has the most affordable homes ($145k 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 | Mapleton | Sunapee | Hope | Castle Hill |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,884 |
3,416Highest |
1,748 |
281Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 41.8±6Lowest 7% above U.S. |
56.7±1.4 46% above U.S. |
44.6±3.1 15% above U.S. |
57.8±15.8Highest 49% above U.S. |
| Castle Hill and Sunapee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±5.1 U.S.: 22% |
9.9%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.3%±5.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.2%±5.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Hope and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.3%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
33.3%±7.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.1%±1.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
44.8%±6.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Castle Hill and Sunapee 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% |
50.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
47.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
26.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±3.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±5.3Lowest 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. |
$101,393±$20kHighest 26% above U.S. |
$86,766±$6k 7% above U.S. |
$54,250±$14kLowest 33% below 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±$23k 42% below U.S. |
$393,000±$51kHighest 18% above U.S. |
$373,400±$33k 12% above U.S. |
$145,300±$18kLowest 56% 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 | $610±$277Lowest 57% below U.S. |
$1,713±$451Highest 21% above U.S. |
$1,219±$182 14% below U.S. |
$950±$574 33% 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 | $1,789 43% below U.S. |
$4,400Highest 41% above U.S. |
$3,842 23% above U.S. |
$1,449Lowest 54% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
34.6%±10.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
37.8%±38.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
75%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Castle Hill and Hope 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% |
12.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1991Highest 11 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 5% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
20 min 25% below U.S. |
19 minLowest 29% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.5%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.3%±10.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.3%±9.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Hope and Mapleton 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 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Sunapee School District | Hope 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 | 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.