Compare towns
Stowe vs Sunapee vs Williston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Stowe has the most expensive homes ($648k median).
Sunapee has the oldest population (median age 56.7).
Williston has the highest household income ($107k).
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 | Stowe | Sunapee | Williston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,285 |
3,416Lowest |
10,144Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +21.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.3±7.6 19% above U.S. |
56.7±1.4Highest 46% above U.S. |
45.4±4.5Lowest 17% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 22.5%±4.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
9.9%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Stowe and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.8%±6.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
33.3%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Sunapee and Stowe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 66.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.6%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±3.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Williston and Sunapee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $93,618±$33kLowest 16% above U.S. |
$101,393±$20k 26% above U.S. |
$106,967±$12kHighest 32% above U.S. |
| Williston and Sunapee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $647,800±$157kHighest 95% above U.S. |
$393,000±$51kLowest 18% above U.S. |
$475,800±$40k 43% above U.S. |
| Stowe and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,458±$242Lowest 3% above U.S. |
$1,713±$451 21% above U.S. |
$1,832±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
| Williston and Sunapee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,161Highest 130% above U.S. |
$4,400Lowest 41% above U.S. |
$5,592 79% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 24.5%±15.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
34.6%±10.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±17.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Williston and Sunapee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
20 min 25% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 24.4%±8.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.5%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Stowe and Williston 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 | #11 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Stowe Town School District | Sunapee School District | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 |
| High school in town | Stowe High School | Sunapee Sr. High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3Lowest |
11.9Highest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.