Compare towns
Sunapee vs Hampstead 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).
Hampstead has the most kids (21.3% 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 | Hampstead | Meredith |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,416Lowest |
9,102Highest |
6,758 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+5.6% NH: +4.6% |
+6.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 56.7±1.4Highest 31% above NH |
45.3±6.1Lowest 5% above NH |
55.5±3.7 28% above NH |
| 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 NH: 18.2% |
21.3%±3.7Highest NH: 18.2% |
12.6%±3.3 NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 33.3%±7.1 NH: 20.1% |
21.8%±4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
34.2%±5Highest NH: 20.1% |
| 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%Highest NH: 40.6% |
44.9%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
45.9% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±3.5 NH: 6% |
5.1%±1.6Highest NH: 6% |
2.9%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
| Hampstead 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 about the NH average |
$112,348±$18kHighest 13% above NH |
$87,019±$19kLowest 12% below NH |
| Hampstead 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 |
$521,100±$45kHighest 29% above NH |
$480,100±$48k 19% above NH |
| Hampstead 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 |
$1,299±$149 13% below NH |
$1,149±$304Lowest 23% below NH |
| Sunapee and Hampstead 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 |
$8,634Highest 30% above NH |
$5,006 25% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.6%±10.5Lowest NH: 48.2% |
44.1%±20.2 NH: 48.2% |
48.5%±9.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Meredith and Hampstead 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% |
3.8%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
7.7% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.9% NH: 72.8% |
82.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
75.8%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
1988Highest 9 yrs newer than NH |
1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 23% above NH |
30 min 13% above NH |
26 minLowest about the NH average |
| Work from home | 9.5%±4.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
21%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
23.7%±4.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Meredith and Hampstead 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 | #49 of 120 in NH | #62 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Sunapee School District | Hampstead School District | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | Sunapee Sr. High School | None in town | Inter-Lakes High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.9Highest |
— | 11.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.