Compare towns

Sunapee vs Bridgewater vs Wolfeboro

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%).
Wolfeboro has the most people working from home (22.9%).

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.

MeasureSunapeeBridgewaterWolfeboro
People
Population
3,416
1,169Lowest
6,571Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
-0.7%Lowest
NH: +4.6%
+7.1%Highest
NH: +4.6%
+2.3%
NH: +4.6%
Median age
56.7±1.4Lowest
31% above NH
58.3±6.3Highest
35% above NH
57±1.8
32% above NH
Bridgewater and Wolfeboro 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%
13.7%±3.3Highest
NH: 18.2%
Wolfeboro and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
33.3%±7.1
NH: 20.1%
33.1%±1.8Lowest
NH: 20.1%
34.6%±5.2Highest
NH: 20.1%
Wolfeboro 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%Highest
NH: 40.6%
32.8%Lowest
NH: 40.6%
45%
NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
4.5%±3.5Highest
NH: 6%
1.3%±1.2Lowest
NH: 6%
2.8%±1.8
NH: 6%
Sunapee and Wolfeboro 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
$94,375±$22k
5% below NH
Sunapee and Wolfeboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$393,000±$51kLowest
about the NH average
$398,600±$65k
about the NH average
$546,500±$60kHighest
36% above NH
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,713±$451Highest
15% above NH
$1,125±$201
25% below NH
$1,103±$76Lowest
26% below NH
Sunapee and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$4,400
34% below NH
$2,823Lowest
58% below NH
$4,531Highest
32% below NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
34.6%±10.5Highest
NH: 48.2%
32.1%±13.6
NH: 48.2%
12%±11.6Lowest
NH: 48.2%
Sunapee and Bridgewater 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%
8.2%Lowest
NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
75.9%Lowest
NH: 72.8%
79.7%Highest
NH: 72.8%
78.1%
NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year
1975Lowest
4 yrs older than NH
1979
same as NH
1982Highest
3 yrs newer than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
33 minHighest
23% above NH
30 min
13% above NH
24 minLowest
11% below NH
Work from home
9.5%±4.5
NH: 16.8%
8%±3.3Lowest
NH: 16.8%
22.9%±6.6Highest
NH: 16.8%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #14 of 120 in NH — #46 of 120 in NH
School district Sunapee School District Newfound Area School District Governor Wentworth Regional School District
High school in town Sunapee Sr. High School None in town Kingswood Regional High School
Students per teacherat that high school
11.9Highest
—
11.1Lowest
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.