What stands out worked out from the figures below

Sunapee has the most homeowners (75.9%).

Portsmouth has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.7%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Sunapee	Portsmouth
People
Population	3,416Lowest	22,545Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-0.7%Lowest NH: +4.6%	+5.7%Highest NH: +4.6%
Median age	56.7±1.4Highest 31% above NH	42.9±2Lowest about the NH average
Kids under 18	9.9%±3.4Lowest NH: 18.2%	14%±1.9Highest NH: 18.2%
	Portsmouth and Sunapee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	33.3%±7.1Highest NH: 20.1%	21.9%±2.4Lowest NH: 20.1%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	50.6%Lowest NH: 40.6%	64%Highest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.5%±3.5Highest NH: 6%	3.8%±1.2Lowest NH: 6%
	Sunapee and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$101,393±$20kLowest about the NH average	$106,219±$7kHighest 7% above NH
	Portsmouth and Sunapee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$393,000±$51kLowest about the NH average	$688,500±$39kHighest 71% above NH
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,713±$451Lowest 15% above NH	$1,869±$111Highest 25% above NH
	Portsmouth and Sunapee 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	$8,018Highest 20% above NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	34.6%±10.5Lowest NH: 48.2%	50.4%±7.2Highest NH: 48.2%
	Portsmouth 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 NH: 7.2%	6.8%Lowest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	75.9%Highest NH: 72.8%	51.9%Lowest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1975Highest 4 yrs older than NH	1959Lowest 20 yrs older than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minHighest 23% above NH	22 minLowest 17% below NH
Work from home	9.5%±4.5Lowest NH: 16.8%	21.9%±4Highest NH: 16.8%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#14 of 120 in NH	#11 of 120 in NH
School district	Sunapee School District	Portsmouth School District
High school in town	Sunapee Sr. High School	Portsmouth High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.9Highest	11.4Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.