Compare towns
Sunapee vs Lyme 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).
Lyme has the most kids (19.5% 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 | Lyme | Meredith |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,416 |
1,710Lowest |
6,758Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+1.7% NH: +4.6% |
+6.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 56.7±1.4Highest 31% above NH |
48.6±7.8Lowest 12% 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% |
19.5%±3.4Highest NH: 18.2% |
12.6%±3.3 NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 33.3%±7.1 NH: 20.1% |
26.5%±2.8Lowest 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% NH: 40.6% |
70.1%Highest NH: 40.6% |
45.9%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±3.5Highest NH: 6% |
3.3%±1.9 NH: 6% |
2.9%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
| Sunapee and Lyme 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 |
$133,906±$15kHighest 35% above NH |
$87,019±$19kLowest 12% below NH |
| Lyme 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 |
$645,000±$64kHighest 60% above NH |
$480,100±$48k 19% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,713±$451Highest 15% above NH |
$1,418±$130 5% below NH |
$1,149±$304Lowest 23% below NH |
| Sunapee and Lyme 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 |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$5,006 25% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.6%±10.5Lowest NH: 48.2% |
52.8%±29.8Highest NH: 48.2% |
48.5%±9.2 NH: 48.2% |
| Lyme 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% |
4.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
7.7% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.9% NH: 72.8% |
80.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
75.8%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
1977Highest 2 yrs older than NH |
1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 23% above NH |
21 minLowest 22% below NH |
26 min about the NH average |
| Work from home | 9.5%±4.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
27.2%±5.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
23.7%±4.9 NH: 16.8% |
| Lyme and Meredith 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 | — | #62 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Sunapee School District | Lyme 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.