Compare towns
Meredith vs Bridgewater vs Sunapee
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Meredith has the most people working from home (23.7%).
Bridgewater has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.1%).
Sunapee has the highest household income ($101k).
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 | Bridgewater | Sunapee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,758Highest |
1,169Lowest |
3,416 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.7% NH: +4.6% |
+7.1%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-0.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 55.5±3.7Lowest 28% above NH |
58.3±6.3Highest 35% above NH |
56.7±1.4 31% above NH |
| Bridgewater and Sunapee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.6%±3.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
10.8%±3.5 NH: 18.2% |
9.9%±3.4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Meredith and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 34.2%±5Highest NH: 20.1% |
33.1%±1.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
33.3%±7.1 NH: 20.1% |
| 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% NH: 40.6% |
32.8%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
50.6%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±1.2 NH: 6% |
1.3%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
4.5%±3.5Highest NH: 6% |
| Sunapee and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $87,019±$19k 12% below NH |
$82,361±$9kLowest 17% below NH |
$101,393±$20kHighest about the NH average |
| Sunapee and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $480,100±$48kHighest 19% above NH |
$398,600±$65k about the NH average |
$393,000±$51kLowest about the NH average |
| Meredith and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,149±$304 23% below NH |
$1,125±$201Lowest 25% below NH |
$1,713±$451Highest 15% above NH |
| Sunapee and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,006Highest 25% below NH |
$2,823Lowest 58% below NH |
$4,400 34% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.5%±9.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
32.1%±13.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
34.6%±10.5 NH: 48.2% |
| Meredith and Sunapee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
11.9% NH: 7.2% |
12.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.8%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
79.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
75.9% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
1979Highest same as NH |
1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest about the NH average |
30 min 13% above NH |
33 minHighest 23% above NH |
| Work from home | 23.7%±4.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
8%±3.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
9.5%±4.5 NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #62 of 120 in NH | — | #14 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | Newfound Area School District | Sunapee School District |
| High school in town | Inter-Lakes High School | None in town | Sunapee Sr. High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Lowest |
— | 11.9Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
NH 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.