Compare towns
Sunapee vs Bar Harbor vs Meredith
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sunapee has the most affordable homes ($393k median).
Bar Harbor has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Meredith has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.7%).
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 | Sunapee | Bar Harbor | Meredith |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,416Lowest |
5,244 |
6,758Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 56.7±1.4Highest 46% above U.S. |
49.2±5.9Lowest 26% above U.S. |
55.5±3.7 43% above U.S. |
| Sunapee and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 9.9%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
11.9%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
12.6%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Meredith and Bar Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 33.3%±7.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.1%±5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
34.2%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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+ | 50.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
68.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±3.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
10.8%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bar Harbor and Sunapee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $101,393±$20kHighest 26% above U.S. |
$77,180±$26kLowest 4% below U.S. |
$87,019±$19k 8% above U.S. |
| Sunapee and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $393,000±$51kLowest 18% above U.S. |
$538,400±$94kHighest 62% above U.S. |
$480,100±$48k 44% above U.S. |
| Bar Harbor and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,713±$451Highest 21% above U.S. |
$1,106±$351Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,149±$304 19% below U.S. |
| Sunapee and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,400 41% above U.S. |
$4,279Lowest 37% above U.S. |
$5,006Highest 61% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.6%±10.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.6%±17.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
48.5%±9.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Meredith and Bar Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
74.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 26% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 9.5%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±8.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
23.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Meredith and Bar Harbor 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 | #2 of 133 in ME | #62 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Sunapee School District | Bar Harbor Public Schools · Mt Desert CSD | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | Sunapee Sr. High School | Mt Desert Island High School | Inter-Lakes High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.9Highest |
8.2Lowest |
11.1 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.