Compare towns
Sunapee vs Needham vs Meredith
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 most affordable homes ($393k median).
Needham has the most expensive homes ($1189k median).
Meredith has the shortest commute (26 min average).
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 | Needham | Meredith |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,416Lowest |
32,459Highest |
6,758 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 56.7±1.4Highest 46% above U.S. |
43.1±1.6Lowest 11% above U.S. |
55.5±3.7 43% 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% |
27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.6%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 33.3%±7.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
34.2%±5Highest 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
81.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±3.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Needham and Sunapee 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 26% above U.S. |
$214,308±$13kHighest 165% above U.S. |
$87,019±$19kLowest 8% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $393,000±$51kLowest 18% above U.S. |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 257% above U.S. |
$480,100±$48k 44% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,713±$451 21% above U.S. |
$2,409±$183Highest 70% above U.S. |
$1,149±$304Lowest 19% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,400Lowest 41% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$5,006 61% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.6%±10.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±8.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.5%±9.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Needham 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 9.5%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.7%±4.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #14 of 120 in NH | #19 of 282 in MA | #62 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Sunapee School District | Needham | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | Sunapee Sr. High School | Needham High | Inter-Lakes High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.9Highest |
11.9Highest |
11.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.