Compare towns
Meredith vs Bow vs Norwich vs Sunapee
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Meredith has the most people working from home (23.7%).
Bow has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).
Norwich has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Sunapee has the most affordable homes ($393k 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 | Meredith | Bow | Norwich | Sunapee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,758 |
8,335Highest |
3,640 |
3,416Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 55.5±3.7 43% above U.S. |
41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
40.8±3.2Lowest 5% above U.S. |
56.7±1.4Highest 46% 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 | 12.6%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
24%±5.1 U.S.: 22% |
9.9%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Norwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 34.2%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
16%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
33.3%±7.1 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+ | 45.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
81%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±3.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bow and Norwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $87,019±$19kLowest 8% above U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$140,313±$12k 74% above U.S. |
$101,393±$20k 26% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $480,100±$48k 44% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34k 52% above U.S. |
$637,500±$76kHighest 92% above U.S. |
$393,000±$51kLowest 18% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,149±$304Lowest 19% below U.S. |
$1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
$1,460±$322 3% above U.S. |
$1,713±$451Highest 21% above U.S. |
| Sunapee and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,006 61% above U.S. |
$9,584 207% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,400Lowest 41% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.5%±9.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
30.7%±19.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
34.6%±10.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Meredith and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the U.S. average |
27 min about the U.S. average |
19 minLowest 28% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 23.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
21%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.5%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Meredith and Bow 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 | #62 of 120 in NH | #26 of 120 in NH | #1 of 70 in VT | #14 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | Bow School District | Norwich School District | Sunapee School District |
| High school in town | Inter-Lakes High School | Bow High School | None in town | Sunapee Sr. High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Lowest |
12.8Highest |
— | 11.9 |
| 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.