Compare towns
Northfield vs Sunapee vs Moretown
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Northfield has the most affordable homes ($274k median).
Sunapee has the oldest population (median age 56.7).
Moretown has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.7%).
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 | Northfield | Sunapee | Moretown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,920Highest |
3,416 |
1,532Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.4±4.1Lowest 6% below U.S. |
56.7±1.4Highest 46% above U.S. |
46.8±3.8 20% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 14.6%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
9.9%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.3%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Moretown and Northfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20%±3.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
33.3%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
58.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 15.1%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±3.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $71,768±$13kLowest 11% below U.S. |
$101,393±$20k 26% above U.S. |
$104,423±$7kHighest 29% above U.S. |
| Moretown and Sunapee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $274,400±$21kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$393,000±$51kHighest 18% above U.S. |
$380,800±$36k 14% above U.S. |
| Sunapee and Moretown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,018±$207 28% below U.S. |
$1,713±$451Highest 21% above U.S. |
$838±$462Lowest 41% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,878 56% above U.S. |
$4,400Lowest 41% above U.S. |
$5,506Highest 77% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 63.3%±17.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
34.6%±10.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
16.1%±14.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 12.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 3% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 5% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.1%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.5%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.4%±6.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Moretown and Northfield 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 | #42 of 70 in VT | #14 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Paine Mountain Union School District #68 | Sunapee School District | Harwood Unified Union School District #60 |
| High school in town | Northfield Middle/High School | Sunapee Sr. High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.0Lowest |
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.