Compare towns
Sunapee vs Durham vs Eliot
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).
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.8).
Eliot has the most kids (16.3% under 18).
Durham is a college town. 55.1% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Durham | Eliot |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,416Lowest |
15,080Highest |
7,146 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 56.7±1.4Highest 46% above U.S. |
20.8±0.3Lowest 47% below U.S. |
50.8±5.9 31% above U.S. |
| Sunapee and Eliot 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% |
10.3%±2.1 U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Eliot and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 33.3%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
11.5%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Sunapee and Eliot 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% |
75.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±3.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
55.1%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $101,393±$20kLowest 26% above U.S. |
$124,056±$21kHighest 54% above U.S. |
$101,522±$10k 26% above U.S. |
| Durham and Eliot 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. |
$504,300±$41kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$498,900±$62k 50% above U.S. |
| Durham and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,713±$451 21% above U.S. |
$1,429±$143Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,948±$471Highest 38% above U.S. |
| Eliot 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. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,549 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.6%±10.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
66.4%±16Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Durham and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
15.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
64.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
23 min 15% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.5%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.4%±3.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Durham and Eliot 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 | #9 of 120 in NH | #19 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Sunapee School District | Oyster River Coop School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 |
| High school in town | Sunapee Sr. High School | Oyster River High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.9Lowest |
12.3Highest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 51 photos → | 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.