What stands out worked out from the figures below

Sunapee has the most renters (24.1% rent).

Canterbury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.6%).

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	Canterbury
People
Population	3,416Highest	2,353Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-0.7%Lowest NH: +4.6%	+1.6%Highest NH: +4.6%
Median age	56.7±1.4Highest 31% above NH	48.6±3.8Lowest 12% above NH
Kids under 18	9.9%±3.4Lowest NH: 18.2%	17.4%±4.4Highest NH: 18.2%
	Canterbury 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%	22.9%±3.3Lowest NH: 20.1%
	Sunapee and Canterbury 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%	49.3%Lowest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.5%±3.5Lowest NH: 6%	6.8%±3Highest NH: 6%
	Canterbury 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±$20kLowest about the NH average	$129,333±$37kHighest 31% above NH
	Canterbury and Sunapee 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	$443,700±$21kHighest 10% above NH
	Canterbury and Sunapee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,713±$451Lowest 15% above NH	$2,136±$233Highest 43% above NH
	Canterbury and Sunapee 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	$7,421Highest 11% above NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	34.6%±10.5Lowest NH: 48.2%	71.7%±48.3Highest NH: 48.2%
	Canterbury 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%	5.4%Lowest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	75.9%Lowest NH: 72.8%	93.7%Highest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH	1982Highest 3 yrs newer than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minHighest 23% above NH	33 minLowest 22% above NH
Work from home	9.5%±4.5Lowest NH: 16.8%	21.6%±7.4Highest NH: 16.8%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#14 of 120 in NH	—
School district	Sunapee School District	Shaker Regional School District
High school in town	Sunapee Sr. High School	None in town
Students per teacherat that high school	11.9	—
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.