Compare towns
Sunapee vs Bridgewater vs Bethlehem
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).
Bridgewater has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.1%).
Bethlehem has the most people working from home (31.2%).
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 | Bridgewater | Bethlehem |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,416Highest |
1,169Lowest |
2,537 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.7% NH: +4.6% |
+7.1%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-1.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 56.7±1.4 31% above NH |
58.3±6.3Highest 35% above NH |
50.6±8.5Lowest 17% above NH |
| Bridgewater and Sunapee 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% |
10.8%±3.5 NH: 18.2% |
17.7%±5.4Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Bethlehem and Bridgewater 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% |
33.1%±1.8 NH: 20.1% |
28.2%±5.5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Sunapee and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 50.6%Highest NH: 40.6% |
32.8%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
45.1% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±3.5Highest NH: 6% |
1.3%±1.2 NH: 6% |
0.9%±0.9Lowest NH: 6% |
| Sunapee and Bridgewater 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 |
$82,361±$9kLowest 17% below NH |
$85,029±$18k 14% below NH |
| Sunapee and Bethlehem 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 |
$398,600±$65kHighest about the NH average |
$288,300±$22kLowest 28% below NH |
| Bridgewater 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 |
$1,125±$201Lowest 25% below NH |
$1,174±$81 21% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,400 34% below NH |
$2,823Lowest 58% below NH |
$5,418Highest 19% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.6%±10.5 NH: 48.2% |
32.1%±13.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
41.3%±18.3Highest 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% |
11.9% NH: 7.2% |
10.1%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.9% NH: 72.8% |
79.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
75.3%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 4 yrs older than NH |
1979Highest same as NH |
1973Lowest 6 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 23% above NH |
30 min 13% above NH |
20 minLowest 24% below NH |
| Work from home | 9.5%±4.5 NH: 16.8% |
8%±3.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
31.2%±12.9Highest 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 | Newfound Area School District | Bethlehem School District · Profile School District |
| High school in town | Sunapee Sr. High School | None in town | Profile Senior High School |
| 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.