Compare towns
Meredith vs Lancaster 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.7%).
Lancaster has the most kids (20.9% 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 | Lancaster | Sunapee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,758Highest |
3,216Lowest |
3,416 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-8.2%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
-0.7% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 55.5±3.7 28% above NH |
45.5±6.9Lowest 5% 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% |
20.9%±6.1Highest NH: 18.2% |
9.9%±3.4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Lancaster and Meredith 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% |
28.4%±5.8Lowest 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% |
30.1%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
50.6%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
2.9%±2.2Lowest 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 |
$68,911±$23kLowest 30% 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 |
$215,700±$24kLowest 46% below NH |
$393,000±$51k about the NH average |
| Meredith and Sunapee 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 |
$1,019±$263Lowest 32% 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 |
$4,226Lowest 37% below NH |
$4,400 34% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.5%±9.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
36.1%±17 NH: 48.2% |
34.6%±10.5Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Meredith and Lancaster 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% |
16.7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
12.4% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.8% NH: 72.8% |
75.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
75.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 4 yrs older than NH |
1942Lowest 37 yrs older than NH |
1975Highest 4 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the NH average |
23 minLowest 14% below NH |
33 minHighest 23% above NH |
| Work from home | 23.7%±4.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
11.5%±6.3 NH: 16.8% |
9.5%±4.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #62 of 120 in NH | #107 of 120 in NH | #14 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | White Mountains 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 |
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.