Compare towns
Sunapee vs Cornish vs Gilsum vs Croydon
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 most expensive homes ($393k median).
Cornish has the shortest commute (24 min average).
Gilsum has the most affordable homes ($242k median).
Croydon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.8%).
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 | Cornish | Gilsum | Croydon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,416Highest |
1,816 |
716Lowest |
798 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.7% NH: +4.6% |
-1.5% NH: +4.6% |
-7.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+4.8%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 56.7±1.4Highest 31% above NH |
54±8.3 25% above NH |
44.8±8.1 3% above NH |
43±9.1Lowest about the NH average |
| Sunapee and Cornish 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% |
14.4%±3.2 NH: 18.2% |
12%±3.6 NH: 18.2% |
19%±6.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Croydon and Cornish 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% |
27.3%±4.1 NH: 20.1% |
19.3%±1.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
27.4%±3.6 NH: 20.1% |
| Sunapee and Croydon 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% |
40.6% NH: 40.6% |
18.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
21.4% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±3.5Highest NH: 6% |
1.4%±0.9Lowest NH: 6% |
3.1%±2.3 NH: 6% |
4%±3.3 NH: 6% |
| Sunapee and Croydon 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 |
$91,821±$2k 7% below NH |
$80,417±$7kLowest 19% below NH |
$98,333±$21k about the NH average |
| Sunapee and Croydon 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 |
$296,000±$69k 26% below NH |
$241,500±$32kLowest 40% below NH |
$317,300±$33k 21% below NH |
| Sunapee and Croydon 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 |
$1,221±$227 18% below NH |
$1,575±$894 6% above NH |
$991±$336Lowest 34% below NH |
| Sunapee and Gilsum 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 |
$5,796Highest 13% below NH |
$5,579 16% below NH |
$3,806Lowest 43% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.6%±10.5 NH: 48.2% |
40.5%±38.1 NH: 48.2% |
76.5%±55.4Highest NH: 48.2% |
7.1%±75.3Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Gilsum and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.4% NH: 7.2% |
4.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
13.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
6.4% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
94.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
93.5% NH: 72.8% |
86.6% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 4 yrs older than NH |
1980 1 yr newer than NH |
1972Lowest 7 yrs older than NH |
1981Highest 2 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 23% above NH |
24 minLowest 9% below NH |
27 min about the NH average |
26 min about the NH average |
| Work from home | 9.5%±4.5 NH: 16.8% |
12%±4.1Highest NH: 16.8% |
11.9%±8.7 NH: 16.8% |
5.3%±4.9Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Cornish and Gilsum 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 | — | — | — |
| School district | Sunapee School District | Cornish School District | Monadnock Regional School District | Croydon School District |
| High school in town | Sunapee Sr. High School | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.9 |
— | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.