Compare towns
Peterborough vs Bennington 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
Peterborough has the shortest commute (23 min average).
Bennington has the most kids (26% under 18).
Sunapee has the oldest population (median age 56.7).
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 | Peterborough | Bennington | Sunapee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,408Highest |
1,588Lowest |
3,416 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.1%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+1.7% NH: +4.6% |
-0.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 52.1±1.9 20% above NH |
42.1±7.8Lowest about the NH average |
56.7±1.4Highest 31% above NH |
| Kids under 18 | 16.3%±5.1 NH: 18.2% |
26%±5.2Highest NH: 18.2% |
9.9%±3.4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Bennington and Peterborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 30.6%±5.2 NH: 20.1% |
15.2%±1.7Lowest NH: 20.1% |
33.3%±7.1Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Sunapee and Peterborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 62.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
33.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
50.6% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1.1Lowest NH: 6% |
2.8%±1.3 NH: 6% |
4.5%±3.5Highest NH: 6% |
| Sunapee and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $98,401±$8k about the NH average |
$83,875±$7kLowest 15% below NH |
$101,393±$20kHighest about the NH average |
| Sunapee and Peterborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $404,500±$31kHighest about the NH average |
$267,300±$15kLowest 34% below NH |
$393,000±$51k about the NH average |
| Peterborough and Sunapee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,395±$209 6% below NH |
$1,292±$150Lowest 13% below NH |
$1,713±$451Highest 15% above NH |
| Sunapee and Peterborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,655Highest 30% above NH |
$5,944 11% below NH |
$4,400Lowest 34% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 29.2%±7.4Lowest NH: 48.2% |
37.2%±20.6Highest NH: 48.2% |
34.6%±10.5 NH: 48.2% |
| Bennington and Sunapee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.7% NH: 7.2% |
4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
12.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 56.3%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
74.3% NH: 72.8% |
75.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Lowest 9 yrs older than NH |
1978Highest 1 yr older than NH |
1975 4 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 16% below NH |
37 minHighest 38% above NH |
33 min 23% above NH |
| Work from home | 15.8%±4.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
14.7%±4.8 NH: 16.8% |
9.5%±4.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Peterborough and Bennington 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 | #59 of 120 in NH | — | #14 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Contoocook Valley School District | Contoocook Valley School District | Sunapee School District |
| High school in town | Conval Regional High School | None in town | Sunapee Sr. High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.0Highest |
— | 11.9Lowest |
| 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.