Compare towns
Springfield vs Sunapee vs Salisbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Springfield has the youngest population (median age 51.4).
Sunapee has the most renters (24.1% rent).
Salisbury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.9%).
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 | Springfield | Sunapee | Salisbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,122Lowest |
3,416Highest |
1,609 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
-0.7% NH: +4.6% |
+2.9%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 51.4±8.8Lowest 19% above NH |
56.7±1.4Highest 31% above NH |
51.5±4.5 19% above NH |
| Sunapee and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.1%±8 NH: 18.2% |
9.9%±3.4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
20.1%±9.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Salisbury and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.8%±1.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
33.3%±7.1Highest NH: 20.1% |
24.9%±4 NH: 20.1% |
| Sunapee and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.4%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
50.6%Highest NH: 40.6% |
37.3% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0%±1.5Lowest NH: 6% |
4.5%±3.5Highest NH: 6% |
2%±1.1 NH: 6% |
| Sunapee and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $100,893±$19kLowest about the NH average |
$101,393±$20k about the NH average |
$111,591±$17kHighest 13% above NH |
| Salisbury and Sunapee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $384,100±$50k 5% below NH |
$393,000±$51kHighest about the NH average |
$363,400±$47kLowest 10% below NH |
| Sunapee and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,096±$217Lowest 26% below NH |
$1,713±$451 15% above NH |
$1,917±$632Highest 29% above NH |
| Salisbury and Sunapee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,946Highest 11% below NH |
$4,400Lowest 34% below NH |
$5,859 12% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25.9%±64.8 NH: 48.2% |
34.6%±10.5Highest NH: 48.2% |
0%±100Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Sunapee and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
12.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
7.1% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.7% NH: 72.8% |
75.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
96.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
1982 3 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 29% above NH |
33 min 23% above NH |
32 minLowest 20% above NH |
| Work from home | 16.7%±11.6 NH: 16.8% |
9.5%±4.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
23.3%±10.6Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Salisbury and Springfield 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 | — | #14 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | — | Sunapee School District | Merrimack Valley School District |
| High school in town | — | Sunapee Sr. High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.9 |
— |
| 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.