Compare towns
Sunapee vs Plainfield 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 most expensive homes ($393k median).
Plainfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.6%).
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 | Plainfield | Bethlehem |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,416Highest |
1,314Lowest |
2,537 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 56.7±1.4Highest 46% above U.S. |
48.1±5.5Lowest 24% above U.S. |
50.6±8.5 30% above U.S. |
| Sunapee and Bethlehem 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% |
16.3%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±5.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Bethlehem and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 33.3%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.1%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
28.2%±5.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Sunapee and Bethlehem 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% |
48.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
45.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±3.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.9%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Sunapee and Plainfield 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. |
$69,250±$31kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$85,029±$18k 5% above U.S. |
| Sunapee and Bethlehem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $393,000±$51kHighest 18% above U.S. |
$318,400±$34k 4% below U.S. |
$288,300±$22kLowest 13% below U.S. |
| Sunapee and Plainfield 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. |
$1,153±$103Lowest 18% below U.S. |
$1,174±$81 17% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,400Lowest 41% above U.S. |
$4,806 54% above U.S. |
$5,418Highest 74% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.6%±10.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
73.2%±53.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.3%±18.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Plainfield and Bethlehem 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% |
11.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
24 min 9% below U.S. |
20 minLowest 23% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.5%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.4%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
31.2%±12.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bethlehem and Plainfield 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 | — | #34 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Sunapee School District | — | Bethlehem School District · Profile School District |
| High school in town | Sunapee Sr. High School | — | Profile Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.9Highest |
— | 8.9Lowest |
| 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.