What stands out worked out from the figures below

Sunapee has the most expensive homes ($393k median).

Lancaster has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.5%).

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	Lancaster
People
Population	3,416Highest	2,230Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-0.7%Lowest NH: +4.6%	+12.5%Highest NH: +4.6%
Median age	56.7±1.4Highest 31% above NH	38.6±8.5Lowest 11% below NH
Kids under 18	9.9%±3.4Lowest NH: 18.2%	25.1%±8.2Highest NH: 18.2%
Age 65+	33.3%±7.1Highest NH: 20.1%	19.6%±4.7Lowest NH: 20.1%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	50.6%Highest NH: 40.6%	23.4%Lowest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.5%±3.5Highest NH: 6%	3.5%±3Lowest NH: 6%
	Sunapee and Lancaster 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	$66,765±$20kLowest 33% below NH
	Sunapee and Lancaster 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	$200,500±$24kLowest 50% below NH
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,713±$451Highest 15% above NH	$1,036±$221Lowest 31% below NH
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,400Highest 34% below NH	$4,225Lowest 37% below NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	34.6%±10.5Lowest NH: 48.2%	41.2%±18.2Highest NH: 48.2%
	Lancaster 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%	19.2%Highest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	75.9%Highest NH: 72.8%	65.4%Lowest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1975Highest 4 yrs older than NH	1938Lowest 41 yrs older than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minHighest 23% above NH	20 minLowest 26% below NH
Work from home	9.5%±4.5Lowest NH: 16.8%	10.6%±6.9Highest NH: 16.8%
	Lancaster 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	#107 of 120 in NH
School district	Sunapee School District	—
High school in town	Sunapee Sr. High School	—
Students per teacherat that high school	11.9	—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.