Compare towns
Sunapee vs Waterbury vs Williston
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 oldest population (median age 56.7).
Waterbury has the most people working from home (28.3%).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
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.
| Measure | Sunapee | Waterbury | Williston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,416Lowest |
5,405 |
10,144Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 56.7±1.4Highest 46% above U.S. |
43.2±3.7Lowest 11% above U.S. |
45.4±4.5 17% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 9.9%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.9%±4.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Waterbury and Williston 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% |
19.8%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 50.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±3.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Williston 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. |
$103,917±$23k 29% above U.S. |
$106,967±$12kHighest 32% above U.S. |
| Williston and Waterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $393,000±$51kLowest 18% above U.S. |
$447,200±$40k 34% above U.S. |
$475,800±$40kHighest 43% above U.S. |
| Williston and Waterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,713±$451 21% above U.S. |
$1,027±$535Lowest 27% below U.S. |
$1,832±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
| Williston and Sunapee 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. |
$6,435Highest 106% above U.S. |
$5,592 79% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.6%±10.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.8%±21.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±17.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Williston and Waterbury 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% |
7.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
30 min 14% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.5%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
28.3%±6.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Waterbury and Williston 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 | #20 of 70 in VT | #11 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Sunapee School District | Harwood Unified Union School District #60 | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 |
| High school in town | Sunapee Sr. High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.9 |
— | — |
| 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.