Compare towns
Sunapee vs Bethlehem vs Hancock
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sunapee has the highest household income ($101k).
Bethlehem has the most people working from home (31.2%).
Hancock has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.7%).
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 | Bethlehem | Hancock |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,416Highest |
2,537 |
1,791Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.7% NH: +4.6% |
-1.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+4.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 56.7±1.4Highest 31% above NH |
50.6±8.5Lowest 17% above NH |
53.8±4.5 24% above NH |
| Sunapee and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 9.9%±3.4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
17.7%±5.4Highest NH: 18.2% |
15.4%±2.2 NH: 18.2% |
| Bethlehem and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 33.3%±7.1Highest NH: 20.1% |
28.2%±5.5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
30.2%±2.7 NH: 20.1% |
| Sunapee and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 50.6% NH: 40.6% |
45.1%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
53.9%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±3.5Highest NH: 6% |
0.9%±0.9Lowest NH: 6% |
4%±1.6 NH: 6% |
| Sunapee and Hancock 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 about the NH average |
$85,029±$18kLowest 14% below NH |
$95,208±$15k 4% below NH |
| Sunapee and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $393,000±$51k about the NH average |
$288,300±$22kLowest 28% below NH |
$436,700±$22kHighest 8% above NH |
| Hancock and Sunapee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,713±$451Highest 15% above NH |
$1,174±$81Lowest 21% below NH |
$1,208±$650 19% below NH |
| Sunapee and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,400Lowest 34% below NH |
$5,418 19% below NH |
$6,884Highest 3% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.6%±10.5 NH: 48.2% |
41.3%±18.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
32.4%±55.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Bethlehem and Sunapee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
10.1% NH: 7.2% |
4.1%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.9% NH: 72.8% |
75.3%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
85.6%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 4 yrs older than NH |
1973 6 yrs older than NH |
1969Lowest 10 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 23% above NH |
20 minLowest 24% below NH |
33 minHighest 24% above NH |
| Work from home | 9.5%±4.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
31.2%±12.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
14.9%±3.2 NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #14 of 120 in NH | #34 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Sunapee School District | Bethlehem School District · Profile School District | Contoocook Valley School District |
| High school in town | Sunapee Sr. High School | Profile Senior High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.9Highest |
8.9Lowest |
— |
| 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.