Compare towns
Meredith vs Brookfield vs Ossipee 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%).
Brookfield has the most homeowners (98.4%).
Ossipee has the most kids (19.5% under 18).
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 | Brookfield | Ossipee | Sunapee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,758Highest |
567Lowest |
4,521 |
3,416 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+6% NH: +4.6% |
+0.6% NH: +4.6% |
-0.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 55.5±3.7 28% above NH |
58.1±9.7Highest 34% above NH |
50±4.6Lowest 15% above NH |
56.7±1.4 31% above NH |
| Brookfield and Sunapee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 12.6%±3.3 NH: 18.2% |
8.6%±4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
19.5%±4.5Highest NH: 18.2% |
9.9%±3.4 NH: 18.2% |
| Ossipee and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 34.2%±5 NH: 20.1% |
38.4%±3.4Highest NH: 20.1% |
26.3%±5.9Lowest NH: 20.1% |
33.3%±7.1 NH: 20.1% |
| Brookfield and Meredith 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% |
36.8% NH: 40.6% |
24.8%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
50.6%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
5.5%±5Highest NH: 6% |
2.9%±1.7Lowest NH: 6% |
4.5%±3.5 NH: 6% |
| Brookfield and Sunapee 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 |
$81,406±$31kLowest 18% below NH |
$90,521±$22k 9% below NH |
$101,393±$20kHighest about the NH average |
| Sunapee and Ossipee 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 |
$428,000±$61k 6% above NH |
$325,500±$23kLowest 19% below NH |
$393,000±$51k about the NH average |
| Meredith and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,149±$304Lowest 23% below NH |
— | $1,601±$245 7% above NH |
$1,713±$451Highest 15% above NH |
| Sunapee and Ossipee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,006 25% below NH |
$5,926Highest 11% below NH |
$4,401 34% below NH |
$4,400Lowest 34% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.5%±9.2 NH: 48.2% |
— | 72%±16.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
34.6%±10.5Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Ossipee and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.7% NH: 7.2% |
3.9%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
8.1% NH: 7.2% |
12.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.8%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
98.4%Highest NH: 72.8% |
82% NH: 72.8% |
75.9% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
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 |
27 min about the NH average |
33 minHighest 25% above NH |
33 min 23% above NH |
| Work from home | 23.7%±4.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
13.7%±6.8 NH: 16.8% |
5.3%±3.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
9.5%±4.5 NH: 16.8% |
| Meredith and Brookfield 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 | — | #100 of 120 in NH | #14 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | — | Governor Wentworth Regional 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 | 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.