Compare towns
Sunapee vs Croydon vs Plainfield
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 oldest population (median age 56.7).
Croydon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.8%).
Plainfield has the most people working from home (18.1%).
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 | Croydon | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,416Highest |
798Lowest |
2,522 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+4.8%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+4% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 56.7±1.4Highest 31% above NH |
43±9.1 about the NH average |
38.9±6.5Lowest 10% below NH |
| Kids under 18 | 9.9%±3.4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
19%±6.3 NH: 18.2% |
23.4%±5.8Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Plainfield and Croydon 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% |
27.4%±3.6 NH: 20.1% |
19.8%±4.5Lowest 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% |
21.4%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
46.7% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±3.5 NH: 6% |
4%±3.3Lowest NH: 6% |
4.8%±2.3Highest NH: 6% |
| Plainfield 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±$20k about the NH average |
$98,333±$21kLowest about the NH average |
$122,656±$13kHighest 24% above NH |
| Plainfield 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±$51k about the NH average |
$317,300±$33kLowest 21% below NH |
$442,400±$47kHighest 10% above NH |
| Plainfield 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 |
$991±$336Lowest 34% below NH |
$1,674±$181 12% above NH |
| Sunapee and Plainfield 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 |
$3,806Lowest 43% below NH |
$7,904Highest 19% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.6%±10.5Highest NH: 48.2% |
7.1%±75.3Lowest NH: 48.2% |
31.8%±23.1 NH: 48.2% |
| Sunapee and Plainfield 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% |
6.4% NH: 7.2% |
5.2%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
86.6% NH: 72.8% |
87.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
1981Highest 2 yrs newer than NH |
1977 2 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 23% above NH |
26 min about the NH average |
22 minLowest 18% below NH |
| Work from home | 9.5%±4.5 NH: 16.8% |
5.3%±4.9Lowest NH: 16.8% |
18.1%±8.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Plainfield 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 | — | #19 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Sunapee School District | Croydon School District | Plainfield School District |
| High school in town | Sunapee Sr. High School | 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 |
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.