Compare towns
Sunapee vs Meredith vs White River Junction vs Bethlehem
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sunapee has the highest household income ($101k).
Meredith has the most expensive homes ($480k median).
White River Junction has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.8%).
Bethlehem has the most people working from home (31.2%).
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 | White River Junction | Bethlehem |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,416 |
6,758Highest |
3,364 |
2,537Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 56.7±1.4Highest 46% above U.S. |
55.5±3.7 43% above U.S. |
33.7±3.2Lowest 13% below U.S. |
50.6±8.5 30% above U.S. |
| 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 U.S.: 22% |
12.6%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
17.1%±5 U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±5.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Bethlehem and White River Junction are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 33.3%±7.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
34.2%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
12.5%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
28.2%±5.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
45.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
38.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±3.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.2%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.9%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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 26% above U.S. |
$87,019±$19k 8% above U.S. |
$77,168±$4kLowest 4% below U.S. |
$85,029±$18k 5% above U.S. |
| Sunapee and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $393,000±$51k 18% above U.S. |
$480,100±$48kHighest 44% above U.S. |
$278,800±$78kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$288,300±$22k 13% below U.S. |
| 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 21% above U.S. |
$1,149±$304Lowest 19% below U.S. |
$1,222±$216 14% below U.S. |
$1,174±$81 17% below U.S. |
| Sunapee and White River Junction are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,400Lowest 41% above U.S. |
$5,006 61% above U.S. |
$5,651Highest 81% above U.S. |
$5,418 74% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.6%±10.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.5%±9.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.9%±17.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
41.3%±18.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Meredith and White River Junction are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
43.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
15 minLowest 42% below U.S. |
20 min 23% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.5%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.7%±4.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.7%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
31.2%±12.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bethlehem 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 | — | #34 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Sunapee School District | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | — | Bethlehem School District · Profile School District |
| High school in town | Sunapee Sr. High School | Inter-Lakes High School | — | Profile Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.9Highest |
11.1 |
— | 8.9Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.