Compare towns
Portsmouth vs Meredith 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
Portsmouth has the most expensive homes ($689k median).
Meredith has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.7%).
Sunapee has the most affordable homes ($393k 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 | Portsmouth | Meredith | Sunapee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,545Highest |
6,758 |
3,416Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.7% NH: +4.6% |
+6.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-0.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 42.9±2Lowest about the NH average |
55.5±3.7 28% above NH |
56.7±1.4Highest 31% 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 | 14%±1.9Highest NH: 18.2% |
12.6%±3.3 NH: 18.2% |
9.9%±3.4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Portsmouth and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±2.4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
34.2%±5Highest NH: 20.1% |
33.3%±7.1 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+ | 64%Highest NH: 40.6% |
45.9%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
50.6% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1.2 NH: 6% |
2.9%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
4.5%±3.5Highest NH: 6% |
| Sunapee and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $106,219±$7kHighest 7% above NH |
$87,019±$19kLowest 12% below NH |
$101,393±$20k about the NH average |
| Portsmouth and Sunapee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $688,500±$39kHighest 71% above NH |
$480,100±$48k 19% above NH |
$393,000±$51kLowest about the NH average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,869±$111Highest 25% above NH |
$1,149±$304Lowest 23% below NH |
$1,713±$451 15% above NH |
| Portsmouth and Sunapee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,018Highest 20% above NH |
$5,006 25% below NH |
$4,400Lowest 34% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.4%±7.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
48.5%±9.2 NH: 48.2% |
34.6%±10.5Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Portsmouth and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.8%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
7.7% NH: 7.2% |
12.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 51.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
75.8% NH: 72.8% |
75.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 20 yrs older than NH |
1975Highest 4 yrs older than NH |
1975Highest 4 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 17% below NH |
26 min about the NH average |
33 minHighest 23% above NH |
| Work from home | 21.9%±4 NH: 16.8% |
23.7%±4.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
9.5%±4.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Meredith and Portsmouth 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 | #11 of 120 in NH | #62 of 120 in NH | #14 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Portsmouth School District | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | Sunapee School District |
| High school in town | Portsmouth High School | Inter-Lakes High School | Sunapee Sr. High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4 |
11.1Lowest |
11.9Highest |
| 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.