Compare towns
Sunapee vs Salisbury vs Wolfeboro
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sunapee has the most renters (24.1% rent).
Salisbury has the most kids (20.1% under 18).
Wolfeboro has the most expensive homes ($547k 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 | Salisbury | Wolfeboro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,416 |
1,609Lowest |
6,571Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+2.9%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+2.3% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 56.7±1.4 31% above NH |
51.5±4.5Lowest 19% above NH |
57±1.8Highest 32% above NH |
| Wolfeboro and Sunapee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 9.9%±3.4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
20.1%±9.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
13.7%±3.3 NH: 18.2% |
| Salisbury and Wolfeboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 33.3%±7.1 NH: 20.1% |
24.9%±4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
34.6%±5.2Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Wolfeboro and Sunapee 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 NH: 40.6% |
37.3%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
45% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±3.5Highest NH: 6% |
2%±1.1Lowest NH: 6% |
2.8%±1.8 NH: 6% |
| Sunapee and Wolfeboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $101,393±$20k about the NH average |
$111,591±$17kHighest 13% above NH |
$94,375±$22kLowest 5% below NH |
| Salisbury 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±$51k about the NH average |
$363,400±$47kLowest 10% below NH |
$546,500±$60kHighest 36% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,713±$451 15% above NH |
$1,917±$632Highest 29% above NH |
$1,103±$76Lowest 26% below NH |
| Salisbury 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 |
$5,859Highest 12% below NH |
$4,531 32% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.6%±10.5Highest NH: 48.2% |
0%±100Lowest NH: 48.2% |
12%±11.6 NH: 48.2% |
| Below poverty line | 12.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
7.1%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
8.2% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
96.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
78.1% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
1982Highest 3 yrs newer than NH |
1982Highest 3 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 23% above NH |
32 min 20% above NH |
24 minLowest 11% below NH |
| Work from home | 9.5%±4.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
23.3%±10.6Highest NH: 16.8% |
22.9%±6.6 NH: 16.8% |
| Salisbury and Wolfeboro 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 | — | #46 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Sunapee School District | Merrimack Valley School District | Governor Wentworth Regional School District |
| High school in town | Sunapee Sr. High School | None in town | Kingswood Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.9Highest |
— | 11.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.