What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Royalton has the most people working from home (17.8%).

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	Royalton
People
Population	3,416Highest	2,752Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-0.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	-0.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	56.7±1.4Highest 46% above U.S.	43.9±10.1Lowest 13% above U.S.
Kids under 18	9.9%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22%	14.4%±5.8Highest U.S.: 22%
	Royalton 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 U.S.: 17.2%	22.1%±6.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Sunapee and Royalton 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%	42.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.5%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	8%±4.2Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Royalton 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±$20kLowest 26% above U.S.	$103,938±$24kHighest 29% above U.S.
	Royalton 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±$51kHighest 18% above U.S.	$263,200±$73kLowest 21% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,713±$451Highest 21% above U.S.	$1,040±$391Lowest 26% below U.S.
	Sunapee and Royalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,400Lowest 41% above U.S.	$4,675Highest 50% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	34.6%±10.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	36.7%±16.1Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Royalton and Sunapee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	12.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	13%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	75.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	63.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S.	1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minHighest 24% above U.S.	20 minLowest 23% below U.S.
Work from home	9.5%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	17.8%±7.3Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Royalton 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	#48 of 70 in VT
School district	Sunapee School District	White River Unified School District #79
High school in town	Sunapee Sr. High School	White River Valley High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.9Highest	8.7Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.