Compare towns
Plaistow vs Sunapee vs Wolfeboro
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Plaistow has the most kids (19.8% under 18).
Sunapee has the most affordable homes ($393k median).
Wolfeboro has the most people working from home (22.9%).
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 | Plaistow | Sunapee | Wolfeboro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,861Highest |
3,416Lowest |
6,571 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.9%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-0.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+2.3% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 40.1±3.7Lowest 7% below NH |
56.7±1.4 31% above NH |
57±1.8Highest 32% above NH |
| Wolfeboro and Sunapee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.8%±4.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
9.9%±3.4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
13.7%±3.3 NH: 18.2% |
| Plaistow and Wolfeboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.4%±3.7Lowest NH: 20.1% |
33.3%±7.1 NH: 20.1% |
34.6%±5.2Highest NH: 20.1% |
| 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+ | 34.9%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
50.6%Highest NH: 40.6% |
45% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.4 NH: 6% |
4.5%±3.5Highest NH: 6% |
2.8%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
| Sunapee and Plaistow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $108,317±$13kHighest 9% above NH |
$101,393±$20k about the NH average |
$94,375±$22kLowest 5% below NH |
| Plaistow and Sunapee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $404,500±$32k about the NH average |
$393,000±$51kLowest about the NH average |
$546,500±$60kHighest 36% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,664±$187 12% above NH |
$1,713±$451Highest 15% above NH |
$1,103±$76Lowest 26% below NH |
| Sunapee and Plaistow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,194Highest 8% above NH |
$4,400Lowest 34% below NH |
$4,531 32% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.3%±16.9Highest NH: 48.2% |
34.6%±10.5 NH: 48.2% |
12%±11.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Plaistow and Sunapee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.5%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
12.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
8.2% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
75.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
78.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 1 yr older than NH |
1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
1982Highest 3 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 7% above NH |
33 minHighest 23% above NH |
24 minLowest 11% below NH |
| Work from home | 13.6%±4 NH: 16.8% |
9.5%±4.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
22.9%±6.6Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Wolfeboro and Plaistow 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 | #66 of 120 in NH | #14 of 120 in NH | #46 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Timberlane Regional School District | Sunapee School District | Governor Wentworth Regional School District |
| High school in town | Timberlane Regional High School | Sunapee Sr. High School | Kingswood Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4 |
11.9Highest |
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.