Compare towns
Sunapee vs Gilford vs Wolfeboro vs Meredith
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).
Gilford has the most kids (20.6% under 18).
Wolfeboro has the most expensive homes ($547k median).
Meredith has the most people working from home (23.7%).
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 | Gilford | Wolfeboro | Meredith |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,416Lowest |
7,830Highest |
6,571 |
6,758 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+8%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+2.3% NH: +4.6% |
+6.7% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 56.7±1.4 31% above NH |
48.2±3.9Lowest 11% above NH |
57±1.8Highest 32% above NH |
55.5±3.7 28% 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% |
20.6%±4.5Highest NH: 18.2% |
13.7%±3.3 NH: 18.2% |
12.6%±3.3 NH: 18.2% |
| Gilford and Wolfeboro 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% |
21.8%±3.2Lowest NH: 20.1% |
34.6%±5.2Highest NH: 20.1% |
34.2%±5 NH: 20.1% |
| Wolfeboro and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 50.6%Highest NH: 40.6% |
45.4% NH: 40.6% |
45%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
45.9% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±3.5Highest NH: 6% |
2.3%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
2.8%±1.8 NH: 6% |
2.9%±1.2 NH: 6% |
| Sunapee and Meredith 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 about the NH average |
$116,635±$11kHighest 18% above NH |
$94,375±$22k 5% below NH |
$87,019±$19kLowest 12% below NH |
| Gilford 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 |
$456,500±$56k 13% above NH |
$546,500±$60kHighest 36% above NH |
$480,100±$48k 19% above NH |
| Wolfeboro and Meredith 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 |
$1,150±$747 23% below NH |
$1,103±$76Lowest 26% below NH |
$1,149±$304 23% below NH |
| Sunapee and Gilford 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 |
$4,868 27% below NH |
$4,531 32% below NH |
$5,006Highest 25% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.6%±10.5 NH: 48.2% |
62.2%±8.5Highest NH: 48.2% |
12%±11.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
48.5%±9.2 NH: 48.2% |
| Gilford 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 NH: 7.2% |
6.2%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
8.2% NH: 7.2% |
7.7% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.9% NH: 72.8% |
93.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
78.1% NH: 72.8% |
75.8%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
1983Highest 4 yrs newer than NH |
1982 3 yrs newer than NH |
1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 23% above NH |
22 minLowest 18% below NH |
24 min 11% below NH |
26 min about the NH average |
| Work from home | 9.5%±4.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
16.9%±4.8 NH: 16.8% |
22.9%±6.6 NH: 16.8% |
23.7%±4.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Meredith and Wolfeboro 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 | #45 of 120 in NH | #46 of 120 in NH | #62 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Sunapee School District | Gilford School District | Governor Wentworth Regional School District | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | Sunapee Sr. High School | Gilford High School | Kingswood Regional High School | Inter-Lakes High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.9Highest |
11.5 |
11.1Lowest |
11.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet | 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.