Compare towns
Sunapee vs Meredith vs Ossipee
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 highest household income ($101k).
Meredith has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.7%).
Ossipee has the most kids (19.5% under 18).
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 | Meredith | Ossipee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,416Lowest |
6,758Highest |
4,521 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+6.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+0.6% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 56.7±1.4Highest 31% above NH |
55.5±3.7 28% above NH |
50±4.6Lowest 15% 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% |
12.6%±3.3 NH: 18.2% |
19.5%±4.5Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Ossipee and Meredith 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% |
34.2%±5Highest NH: 20.1% |
26.3%±5.9Lowest 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% |
45.9% NH: 40.6% |
24.8%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±3.5Highest NH: 6% |
2.9%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
2.9%±1.7Lowest 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±$20kHighest about the NH average |
$87,019±$19kLowest 12% below NH |
$90,521±$22k 9% below NH |
| Sunapee and Ossipee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $393,000±$51k about the NH average |
$480,100±$48kHighest 19% above NH |
$325,500±$23kLowest 19% below NH |
| Meredith and Sunapee 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 |
$1,149±$304Lowest 23% below NH |
$1,601±$245 7% above NH |
| Sunapee and Ossipee 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 |
$5,006Highest 25% below NH |
$4,401 34% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.6%±10.5Lowest NH: 48.2% |
48.5%±9.2 NH: 48.2% |
72%±16.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Ossipee 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% |
7.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
8.1% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.9% NH: 72.8% |
75.8%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
82%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
1979Highest same as NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 23% above NH |
26 minLowest about the NH average |
33 minHighest 25% above NH |
| Work from home | 9.5%±4.5 NH: 16.8% |
23.7%±4.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
5.3%±3.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #14 of 120 in NH | #62 of 120 in NH | #100 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Sunapee School District | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | Governor Wentworth Regional School District |
| High school in town | Sunapee Sr. High School | Inter-Lakes High School | None in town |
| 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.