Compare towns
Meredith vs Durham 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%).
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.1).
Sunapee has the most affordable homes ($393k median).
Durham is a college town. 70.2% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Durham | Sunapee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,758 |
10,681Highest |
3,416Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.7% NH: +4.6% |
+7.8%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-0.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 55.5±3.7 28% above NH |
20.1±0.2Lowest 54% below 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%±3.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
6.5%±2Lowest NH: 18.2% |
9.9%±3.4 NH: 18.2% |
| Meredith and Sunapee 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% |
7.5%±1.4Lowest 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%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
50.6% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
70.2%±1.6Highest NH: 6% |
4.5%±3.5 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $87,019±$19kLowest 12% below NH |
$112,070±$25kHighest 13% above NH |
$101,393±$20k about the NH average |
| Durham 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 |
$498,000±$45kHighest 24% above NH |
$393,000±$51kLowest about the NH average |
| Durham 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 |
$1,302±$211 13% below NH |
$1,713±$451Highest 15% above NH |
| Sunapee and Durham 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 |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$4,400Lowest 34% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.5%±9.2 NH: 48.2% |
55.4%±19.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
34.6%±10.5Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Durham and Meredith 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% |
12.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
12.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.8% NH: 72.8% |
53.6%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
75.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 4 yrs older than NH |
1973Lowest 6 yrs older than NH |
1975Highest 4 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the NH average |
17 minLowest 36% below NH |
33 minHighest 23% above NH |
| Work from home | 23.7%±4.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
15.6%±3.3 NH: 16.8% |
9.5%±4.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Meredith and Durham 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 | #9 of 120 in NH | #14 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | — | Sunapee School District |
| High school in town | Inter-Lakes High School | — | 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.