Compare towns
Sunapee vs Wilder vs Meredith vs Hancock
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).
Wilder has grown the fastest since 2010 (+81.7%).
Meredith has the most people working from home (23.7%).
Hancock has the most kids (15.4% under 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 | Wilder | Meredith | Hancock |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,416 |
3,087 |
6,758Highest |
1,791Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+81.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 56.7±1.4Highest 46% above U.S. |
45.5±8.9Lowest 17% above U.S. |
55.5±3.7 43% above U.S. |
53.8±4.5 38% above U.S. |
| Sunapee and Meredith 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% |
11.8%±4.1 U.S.: 22% |
12.6%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
15.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Hancock and Meredith 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% |
27.3%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
34.2%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
30.2%±2.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Meredith 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
60.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±3.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
8.1%±3.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Wilder 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±$20kHighest 26% above U.S. |
$75,143±$9kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$87,019±$19k 8% above U.S. |
$95,208±$15k 18% above U.S. |
| Sunapee and Hancock 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. |
$273,200±$18kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$480,100±$48kHighest 44% above U.S. |
$436,700±$22k 31% above U.S. |
| Meredith and Hancock 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. |
$1,142±$451Lowest 19% below U.S. |
$1,149±$304 19% below U.S. |
$1,208±$650 15% below U.S. |
| Sunapee and Hancock 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. |
$5,505 76% above U.S. |
$5,006 61% above U.S. |
$6,884Highest 121% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.6%±10.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
39.9%±17.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
48.5%±9.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
32.4%±55.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Meredith and Wilder 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% |
9.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
62.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 24% above U.S. |
17 minLowest 37% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.5%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.6%±6.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
23.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.9%±3.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #14 of 120 in NH | — | #62 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Sunapee School District | — | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | Contoocook Valley School District |
| High school in town | Sunapee Sr. High School | — | Inter-Lakes High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.9Highest |
— | 11.1Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.