Compare towns
Sunapee vs Durham vs Wolfeboro
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 affordable homes ($393k median).
Durham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.8%).
Wolfeboro has the most kids (13.7% 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 | Wolfeboro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,416Lowest |
15,080Highest |
6,571 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+5.8%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+2.3% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 56.7±1.4 31% above NH |
20.8±0.3Lowest 52% below NH |
57±1.8Highest 32% above NH |
| Wolfeboro and Sunapee 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% |
10.3%±2.1 NH: 18.2% |
13.7%±3.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Wolfeboro and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 33.3%±7.1 NH: 20.1% |
11.5%±1.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
34.6%±5.2Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Wolfeboro 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% NH: 40.6% |
75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
45%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±3.5 NH: 6% |
55.1%±3.2Highest NH: 6% |
2.8%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $101,393±$20k about the NH average |
$124,056±$21kHighest 25% above NH |
$94,375±$22kLowest 5% below NH |
| Durham 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 about the NH average |
$504,300±$41k 25% above NH |
$546,500±$60kHighest 36% above NH |
| Wolfeboro and Durham 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 |
$1,429±$143 4% below NH |
$1,103±$76Lowest 26% below NH |
| Sunapee and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,400Lowest 34% below NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$4,531 32% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.6%±10.5 NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±16Highest NH: 48.2% |
12%±11.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Below poverty line | 12.4% NH: 7.2% |
15.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
8.2%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.9% NH: 72.8% |
64.4%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
78.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
1981 2 yrs newer than NH |
1982Highest 3 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 23% above NH |
19 minLowest 27% below NH |
24 min 11% below NH |
| Work from home | 9.5%±4.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
19.4%±3.5 NH: 16.8% |
22.9%±6.6Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Wolfeboro and Durham 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 | #46 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Sunapee School District | Oyster River Coop School District | Governor Wentworth Regional School District |
| High school in town | Sunapee Sr. High School | Oyster River High School | Kingswood Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.9 |
12.3Highest |
11.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 51 photos → | 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.