What stands out worked out from the figures below

Sunapee has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.7%).

Canaan has the most people working from home (14.9%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Sunapee	Canaan
People
Population	3,416Lowest	3,811Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-0.7%Highest NH: +4.6%	-2.9%Lowest NH: +4.6%
Median age	56.7±1.4Highest 31% above NH	44.4±3.7Lowest about the NH average
Kids under 18	9.9%±3.4Lowest NH: 18.2%	14.7%±4.6Highest NH: 18.2%
	Canaan and Sunapee 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%	19.1%±4.2Lowest NH: 20.1%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	50.6%Highest NH: 40.6%	28.2%Lowest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.5%±3.5Lowest NH: 6%	7%±2.5Highest NH: 6%
	Canaan 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 about the NH average	$81,583±$6kLowest 18% below NH
	Sunapee and Canaan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$393,000±$51kHighest about the NH average	$254,000±$26kLowest 37% below NH
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,713±$451Highest 15% above NH	$1,140±$90Lowest 24% below NH
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,400Lowest 34% below NH	$5,985Highest 10% below NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	34.6%±10.5Lowest NH: 48.2%	74.4%±25.1Highest NH: 48.2%
Below poverty line	12.4%Lowest NH: 7.2%	13.6%Highest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	75.9%Lowest NH: 72.8%	77.3%Highest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1975 4 yrs older than NH	1975 4 yrs older than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minHighest 23% above NH	30 minLowest 12% above NH
Work from home	9.5%±4.5Lowest NH: 16.8%	14.9%±6Highest NH: 16.8%
	Canaan and Sunapee 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	#83 of 120 in NH
School district	Sunapee School District	Mascoma Valley Regional School District
High school in town	Sunapee Sr. High School	Mascoma Valley Regional High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.9Highest	10.3Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.