What stands out worked out from the figures below

Sunapee has the most affordable homes ($393k median).

Danvers has grown the fastest since 2010 (+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	Danvers
People
Population	3,416Lowest	28,098Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-0.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+6%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	56.7±1.4Highest 46% above U.S.	45.3±3Lowest 16% above U.S.
Kids under 18	9.9%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22%	17.2%±2Highest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	33.3%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2%	22.6%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	50.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	48.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.5%±3.5Highest U.S.: 6.4%	4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Sunapee and Danvers 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 26% above U.S.	$125,395±$10kHighest 55% above U.S.
	Danvers 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 18% above U.S.	$644,200±$23kHighest 94% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,713±$451Lowest 21% above U.S.	$2,076±$192Highest 47% above U.S.
	Danvers and Sunapee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,400Lowest 41% above U.S.	$6,654Highest 113% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	34.6%±10.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	48.8%±8.6Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Danvers 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 U.S.: 12.5%	4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	75.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	69.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S.	1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minHighest 24% above U.S.	28 minLowest 8% above U.S.
Work from home	9.5%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	19.3%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#14 of 120 in NH	#91 of 282 in MA
School district	Sunapee School District	Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers
High school in town	Sunapee Sr. High School	Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.9Lowest	12.8Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

U.S. 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.