Compare towns
Royalton vs Sunapee vs White River Junction vs Wilder
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Royalton has the most people working from home (17.8%).
Sunapee has the most expensive homes ($393k median).
White River Junction has the most renters (56.1% rent).
Wilder has grown the fastest since 2010 (+81.7%).
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 | Royalton | Sunapee | White River Junction | Wilder |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,752Lowest |
3,416Highest |
3,364 |
3,087 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+81.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.9±10.1 13% above U.S. |
56.7±1.4Highest 46% above U.S. |
33.7±3.2Lowest 13% below U.S. |
45.5±8.9 17% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 14.4%±5.8 U.S.: 22% |
9.9%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.1%±5Highest U.S.: 22% |
11.8%±4.1 U.S.: 22% |
| White River Junction and Royalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.1%±6.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
33.3%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
12.5%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.3%±4.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Sunapee and Wilder are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
50.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
38.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
60.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8%±4.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±3.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.2%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
8.1%±3.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Wilder and Royalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $103,938±$24kHighest 29% above U.S. |
$101,393±$20k 26% above U.S. |
$77,168±$4k 4% below U.S. |
$75,143±$9kLowest 7% below U.S. |
| Royalton and Sunapee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $263,200±$73kLowest 21% below U.S. |
$393,000±$51kHighest 18% above U.S. |
$278,800±$78k 16% below U.S. |
$273,200±$18k 18% below U.S. |
| Sunapee and White River Junction are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,040±$391Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,713±$451Highest 21% above U.S. |
$1,222±$216 14% below U.S. |
$1,142±$451 19% below U.S. |
| Sunapee and White River Junction are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,675 50% above U.S. |
$4,400Lowest 41% above U.S. |
$5,651Highest 81% above U.S. |
$5,505 76% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.7%±16.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
34.6%±10.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.9%±17.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.9%±17.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| White River Junction and Wilder are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 13%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 63.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
43.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
62.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 23% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
15 minLowest 42% below U.S. |
17 min 37% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.8%±7.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.5%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.7%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.6%±6.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Royalton and White River Junction 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 | #48 of 70 in VT | #14 of 120 in NH | — | — |
| School district | White River Unified School District #79 | Sunapee School District | — | — |
| High school in town | White River Valley High School | Sunapee Sr. High School | — | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.7Lowest |
11.9Highest |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.