What stands out worked out from the figures below

Sunapee has the highest household income ($101k).

Laconia has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.8%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Sunapee	Laconia
People
Population	3,416Lowest	17,085Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-0.7%Lowest NH: +4.6%	+5.8%Highest NH: +4.6%
Median age	56.7±1.4Highest 31% above NH	45.3±3.9Lowest 5% above NH
Kids under 18	9.9%±3.4Lowest NH: 18.2%	18.4%±2.9Highest NH: 18.2%
Age 65+	33.3%±7.1Highest NH: 20.1%	22.8%±2.7Lowest NH: 20.1%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	50.6%Highest NH: 40.6%	27.2%Lowest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.5%±3.5Highest NH: 6%	3.1%±1.1Lowest NH: 6%
	Sunapee and Laconia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$101,393±$20kHighest about the NH average	$73,218±$12kLowest 26% below NH
	Sunapee and Laconia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$393,000±$51kHighest about the NH average	$340,300±$16kLowest 15% below NH
	Sunapee and Laconia 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	$1,224±$107Lowest 18% below NH
	Sunapee and Laconia 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	$4,484Highest 33% below NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	34.6%±10.5Lowest NH: 48.2%	54.5%±10.2Highest NH: 48.2%
	Laconia and Sunapee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	12.4%Lowest NH: 7.2%	12.6%Highest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	75.9%Highest NH: 72.8%	64.2%Lowest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1975Highest 4 yrs older than NH	1974Lowest 5 yrs older than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minHighest 23% above NH	17 minLowest 36% below NH
Work from home	9.5%±4.5Lowest NH: 16.8%	13.5%±3.8Highest NH: 16.8%
	Laconia and Sunapee 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	#105 of 120 in NH
School district	Sunapee School District	Laconia School District
High school in town	Sunapee Sr. High School	Laconia High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.9Highest	10.0Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.