What stands out worked out from the figures below

Sunapee has the most expensive homes ($393k median).

Rochester has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).

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.

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

Measure	Sunapee	Rochester
People
Population	3,416Lowest	33,144Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-0.7%Lowest NH: +4.6%	+9.2%Highest NH: +4.6%
Median age	56.7±1.4Highest 31% above NH	43±1.8Lowest about the NH average
Kids under 18	9.9%±3.4Lowest NH: 18.2%	18.2%±1.7Highest NH: 18.2%
Age 65+	33.3%±7.1Highest NH: 20.1%	19.6%±1.9Lowest NH: 20.1%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	50.6%Highest NH: 40.6%	27.1%Lowest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.5%±3.5Highest NH: 6%	4.3%±1Lowest NH: 6%
	Sunapee and Rochester 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 about the NH average	$80,836±$3kLowest 18% below NH
	Sunapee and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$393,000±$51kHighest about the NH average	$279,100±$10kLowest 31% below NH
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,713±$451Highest 15% above NH	$1,369±$72Lowest 8% below NH
	Sunapee and Rochester 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	$5,334Highest 20% below NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	34.6%±10.5Lowest NH: 48.2%	46.3%±7Highest NH: 48.2%
	Rochester 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%	8.3%Lowest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	75.9%Highest NH: 72.8%	66%Lowest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH	1978Highest 1 yr older than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minHighest 23% above NH	26 minLowest about the NH average
Work from home	9.5%±4.5Lowest NH: 16.8%	11.8%±2.1Highest NH: 16.8%
	Rochester and Sunapee 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	#98 of 120 in NH
School district	Sunapee School District	Rochester School District
High school in town	Sunapee Sr. High School	Spaulding High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.9Lowest	13.2Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.