Compare towns
Sunapee vs Sutton vs Wells
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 most renters (24.1% rent).
Sutton has the highest household income ($130k).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).
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 | Sutton | Wells |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,416 |
2,239Lowest |
11,713Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+18%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 56.7±1.4Highest 46% above U.S. |
48.1±4.1Lowest 24% above U.S. |
53.6±3.8 38% above U.S. |
| Sunapee and Wells 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% |
20.5%±3.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
18%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Sutton and Wells 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% |
21.6%±5.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
31%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Sunapee and Wells 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% |
44.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±3.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Sutton 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±$20k 26% above U.S. |
$130,313±$31kHighest 61% above U.S. |
$88,024±$11kLowest 9% above U.S. |
| Sutton 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 18% above U.S. |
$362,600±$16kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$485,300±$23kHighest 46% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,713±$451Highest 21% above U.S. |
$1,656±$614 17% above U.S. |
$1,350±$297Lowest 4% below U.S. |
| Sunapee and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,400 41% above U.S. |
$7,652Highest 145% above U.S. |
$3,215Lowest 3% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.6%±10.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
27.6%±47.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.1%±19.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Wells 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% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
95.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.5%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.8%±5.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±4.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Wells and Sutton 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 | — | #22 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Sunapee School District | Kearsarge Regional School District | Wells-Ogunquit CSD |
| High school in town | Sunapee Sr. High School | Kearsarge Regional High School | Wells High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.9Highest |
10.4Lowest |
11.4 |
| 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.