Compare towns
Sunapee vs Dedham vs Meredith
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sunapee has the most affordable homes ($393k median).
Dedham has the most kids (18.6% under 18).
Meredith has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.7%).
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 | Dedham | Meredith |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,416Lowest |
25,237Highest |
6,758 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 56.7±1.4Highest 46% above U.S. |
44.6±1.6Lowest 15% above U.S. |
55.5±3.7 43% above U.S. |
| Sunapee and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 9.9%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.6%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 33.3%±7.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.9%±2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
34.2%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Meredith and Sunapee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 50.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
55%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±3.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dedham 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 26% above U.S. |
$128,955±$10kHighest 60% above U.S. |
$87,019±$19kLowest 8% above U.S. |
| Dedham 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. |
$661,800±$16kHighest 99% above U.S. |
$480,100±$48k 44% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,713±$451 21% above U.S. |
$2,042±$182Highest 45% above U.S. |
$1,149±$304Lowest 19% below U.S. |
| Dedham 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. |
$7,918Highest 154% above U.S. |
$5,006 61% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.6%±10.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±10Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.5%±9.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dedham and Meredith 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% |
5.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 9.5%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
20%±2.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
23.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Meredith and Dedham 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 | #119 of 282 in MA | #62 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Sunapee School District | — | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | Sunapee Sr. High School | — | Inter-Lakes High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.9Highest |
— | 11.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.