Compare towns
Middlesex vs Sunapee vs Wolfeboro vs Berlin
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Middlesex has the most kids (21.3% under 18).
Sunapee has the most renters (24.1% rent).
Wolfeboro has the most expensive homes ($547k median).
Berlin has the most affordable homes ($274k 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 | Middlesex | Sunapee | Wolfeboro | Berlin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,943Lowest |
3,416 |
6,571Highest |
2,880 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.4±3.9Lowest 14% above U.S. |
56.7±1.4 46% above U.S. |
57±1.8Highest 47% above U.S. |
50.6±2.4 30% above U.S. |
| Wolfeboro and Sunapee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.3%±3.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
9.9%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
13.7%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
16.6%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Middlesex and Berlin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.6%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
33.3%±7.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
34.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.8%±4.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wolfeboro and Sunapee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
45% U.S.: 35.7% |
28.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±3.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Middlesex and Sunapee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $109,632±$13kHighest 36% above U.S. |
$101,393±$20k 26% above U.S. |
$94,375±$22k 17% above U.S. |
$86,691±$21kLowest 7% above U.S. |
| Middlesex and Sunapee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $376,300±$40k 13% above U.S. |
$393,000±$51k 18% above U.S. |
$546,500±$60kHighest 64% above U.S. |
$273,600±$31kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,333±$359 6% below U.S. |
$1,713±$451Highest 21% above U.S. |
$1,103±$76Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,169±$171 17% below U.S. |
| Sunapee and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,483Highest 108% above U.S. |
$4,400Lowest 41% above U.S. |
$4,531 45% above U.S. |
$4,418 42% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
34.6%±10.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
12%±11.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
41%±19.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Berlin and Sunapee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 4% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
24 min 10% below U.S. |
21 minLowest 20% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 28.4%±10.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.5%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.9%±6.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.7%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Middlesex and Wolfeboro 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 | — | #14 of 120 in NH | #46 of 120 in NH | #16 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Sunapee School District | Governor Wentworth Regional School District | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 |
| High school in town | None in town | Sunapee Sr. High School | Kingswood Regional High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.9Highest |
11.1Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.