Compare towns
Meredith vs Dunbarton 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%).
Dunbarton has the most kids (19.8% under 18).
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 | Dunbarton | Sunapee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,758Highest |
3,097Lowest |
3,416 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.7% NH: +4.6% |
+9%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-0.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 55.5±3.7 28% above NH |
48±3.7Lowest 11% above NH |
56.7±1.4Highest 31% above NH |
| 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 NH: 18.2% |
19.8%±3.8Highest NH: 18.2% |
9.9%±3.4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 34.2%±5Highest NH: 20.1% |
20.4%±4.3Lowest 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% |
39.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
50.6%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
3.8%±2 NH: 6% |
4.5%±3.5Highest NH: 6% |
| Sunapee and Dunbarton 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 12% below NH |
$124,348±$21kHighest 26% above NH |
$101,393±$20k about the NH average |
| Dunbarton and Sunapee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $480,100±$48k 19% above NH |
$484,100±$33kHighest 20% above NH |
$393,000±$51kLowest about the NH average |
| Dunbarton and Meredith 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 |
$1,166±$70 22% below NH |
$1,713±$451Highest 15% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,006 25% below NH |
$8,233Highest 23% above NH |
$4,400Lowest 34% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.5%±9.2 NH: 48.2% |
54.7%±60.7Highest NH: 48.2% |
34.6%±10.5Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Dunbarton 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%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
12.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.8%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
95.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
75.9% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
1990Highest 11 yrs newer than NH |
1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest about the NH average |
34 minHighest 25% above NH |
33 min 23% above NH |
| Work from home | 23.7%±4.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
12.6%±5.4 NH: 16.8% |
9.5%±4.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #62 of 120 in NH | #33 of 120 in NH | #14 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | Dunbarton 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.