Compare towns
Sunapee vs Eliot vs Madbury
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).
Eliot has the most people working from home (17.4%).
Madbury has the most kids (29% under 18).
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 | Eliot | Madbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,416 |
7,146Highest |
2,203Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 56.7±1.4Highest 46% above U.S. |
50.8±5.9 31% above U.S. |
37.7±2.1Lowest 3% below 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% |
16.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
29%±5.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 33.3%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.3%±2.6Lowest 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% |
43.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
52.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±3.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Sunapee and Madbury 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. |
$101,522±$10k 26% above U.S. |
$148,365±$30kHighest 84% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $393,000±$51kLowest 18% above U.S. |
$498,900±$62kHighest 50% above U.S. |
$476,900±$31k 43% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Madbury 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. |
$1,948±$471Highest 38% above U.S. |
$1,574±$759Lowest 11% 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. |
$4,549 46% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.6%±10.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
16.7%±15.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Eliot 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% |
4.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 15% below U.S. |
25 min 4% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.5%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Eliot and Madbury 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 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Sunapee School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Oyster River Coop 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 |
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.