Compare towns
Sunapee vs Ware vs Wolfeboro vs Meredith
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 highest household income ($101k).
Ware has the most kids (19.1% under 18).
Wolfeboro has the most expensive homes ($547k median).
Meredith has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.7%).
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.
| Measure | Sunapee | Ware | Wolfeboro | Meredith |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,416Lowest |
10,048Highest |
6,571 |
6,758 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 56.7±1.4 46% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7Lowest 11% above U.S. |
57±1.8Highest 47% above U.S. |
55.5±3.7 43% above U.S. |
| 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 U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.7%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
12.6%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Ware 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
34.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
34.2%±5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wolfeboro and Meredith 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% |
24%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
45% U.S.: 35.7% |
45.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±3.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Sunapee and Ware 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 26% above U.S. |
$67,475±$15kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$94,375±$22k 17% above U.S. |
$87,019±$19k 8% above U.S. |
| Sunapee and Wolfeboro 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. |
$289,700±$28kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$546,500±$60kHighest 64% above U.S. |
$480,100±$48k 44% above U.S. |
| Wolfeboro and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,713±$451Highest 21% above U.S. |
$1,043±$109Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,103±$76 22% below U.S. |
$1,149±$304 19% below U.S. |
| Sunapee and Meredith 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. |
$4,237Lowest 36% above U.S. |
$4,531 45% above U.S. |
$5,006Highest 61% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.6%±10.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
12%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.5%±9.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ware and Meredith 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% |
11.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 10% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 9.5%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.9%±6.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
23.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Meredith 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 | #267 of 282 in MA | #46 of 120 in NH | #62 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Sunapee School District | Ware | Governor Wentworth Regional School District | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | Sunapee Sr. High School | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Kingswood Regional High School | Inter-Lakes High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.9Highest |
11.1Lowest |
11.1Lowest |
11.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.