Compare towns
Meredith vs Wakefield vs Sunapee
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Meredith has the shortest commute (26 min average).
Wakefield has the most kids (20% 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 | Wakefield | Sunapee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,758 |
27,793Highest |
3,416Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 55.5±3.7 43% above U.S. |
42.4±1.7Lowest 9% above U.S. |
56.7±1.4Highest 46% above U.S. |
| 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 U.S.: 22% |
20%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
9.9%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 34.2%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
33.3%±7.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
59.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±3.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Sunapee and Wakefield 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 8% above U.S. |
$134,306±$14kHighest 66% above U.S. |
$101,393±$20k 26% above U.S. |
| Wakefield 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 44% above U.S. |
$723,500±$24kHighest 117% above U.S. |
$393,000±$51kLowest 18% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,149±$304Lowest 19% below U.S. |
$1,958±$102Highest 39% above U.S. |
$1,713±$451 21% above U.S. |
| Wakefield and Sunapee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,006 61% above U.S. |
$7,779Highest 149% above U.S. |
$4,400Lowest 41% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.5%±9.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.7%±7.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
34.6%±10.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Meredith and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
70.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
33 min 24% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 23.7%±4.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
24.6%±3.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.5%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Wakefield and Meredith 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 | #179 of 282 in MA | #14 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Sunapee School District |
| High school in town | Inter-Lakes High School | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | Sunapee Sr. High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1 |
10.7Lowest |
11.9Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.