Compare towns
Sunapee vs Pomfret 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).
Pomfret has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.3%).
Bethlehem has the most affordable homes ($288k median).
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 | Pomfret | Bethlehem |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,416Highest |
908Lowest |
2,537 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 56.7±1.4Highest 46% above U.S. |
53.4±12.1 37% above U.S. |
50.6±8.5Lowest 30% above U.S. |
| Sunapee and Pomfret 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% |
15.4%±6 U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±5.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Bethlehem and Pomfret 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% |
29.5%±6.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
28.2%±5.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Sunapee and Pomfret 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% |
58%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±3.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.4%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.9%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Sunapee and Pomfret 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. |
$84,229±$8kLowest 4% above 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±$51k 18% above U.S. |
$399,200±$144kHighest 20% above U.S. |
$288,300±$22kLowest 13% below U.S. |
| Pomfret 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. |
$1,170±$98Lowest 17% below U.S. |
$1,174±$81 17% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,400Lowest 41% above U.S. |
$6,722Highest 116% above U.S. |
$5,418 74% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.6%±10.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
24%±22.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.3%±18.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bethlehem and Sunapee 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% |
5.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
81.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1970Lowest 10 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 11% below U.S. |
20 minLowest 23% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.5%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
30.3%±10.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
31.2%±12.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bethlehem and Pomfret 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 | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | Bethlehem School District · Profile School District |
| High school in town | Sunapee Sr. High School | None in town | Profile Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.9Highest |
— | 8.9Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.