Compare towns
Peterborough vs Sunapee vs Meredith
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 most kids (16.3% under 18).
Sunapee has the highest household income ($101k).
Meredith has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.7%).
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 | Sunapee | Meredith |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,408 |
3,416Lowest |
6,758Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.1% NH: +4.6% |
-0.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+6.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 52.1±1.9Lowest 20% above NH |
56.7±1.4Highest 31% above NH |
55.5±3.7 28% 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 | 16.3%±5.1Highest NH: 18.2% |
9.9%±3.4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
12.6%±3.3 NH: 18.2% |
| Peterborough and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 30.6%±5.2Lowest NH: 20.1% |
33.3%±7.1 NH: 20.1% |
34.2%±5Highest 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+ | 62.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
50.6% NH: 40.6% |
45.9%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1.1Lowest NH: 6% |
4.5%±3.5Highest NH: 6% |
2.9%±1.2 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 | $98,401±$8k about the NH average |
$101,393±$20kHighest about the NH average |
$87,019±$19kLowest 12% below NH |
| 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±$31k about the NH average |
$393,000±$51kLowest about the NH average |
$480,100±$48kHighest 19% above NH |
| Meredith and Peterborough 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 |
$1,713±$451Highest 15% above NH |
$1,149±$304Lowest 23% below 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 |
$4,400Lowest 34% below NH |
$5,006 25% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 29.2%±7.4Lowest NH: 48.2% |
34.6%±10.5 NH: 48.2% |
48.5%±9.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Meredith and Sunapee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
12.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
7.7% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 56.3%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
75.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
75.8% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Lowest 9 yrs older than NH |
1975Highest 4 yrs older than NH |
1975Highest 4 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 16% below NH |
33 minHighest 23% above NH |
26 min about the NH average |
| Work from home | 15.8%±4.5 NH: 16.8% |
9.5%±4.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
23.7%±4.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Meredith and Peterborough 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 | #62 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Contoocook Valley School District | Sunapee School District | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | Conval Regional High School | Sunapee Sr. High School | Inter-Lakes High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.0Highest |
11.9 |
11.1Lowest |
| 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.