Compare towns
Sunapee vs Wilmot vs Thornton
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).
Wilmot has the most kids (17.1% under 18).
Thornton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.8%).
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 | Wilmot | Thornton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,416Highest |
1,487Lowest |
2,799 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+3.6% NH: +4.6% |
+8.8%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 56.7±1.4Highest 31% above NH |
53±2.4 22% above NH |
51.1±3.4Lowest 18% above NH |
| Sunapee and Wilmot 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% |
17.1%±3.2Highest NH: 18.2% |
13.9%±4.6 NH: 18.2% |
| Wilmot and Thornton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 33.3%±7.1Highest NH: 20.1% |
24.3%±4.6 NH: 20.1% |
19%±4.9Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Sunapee and Wilmot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 50.6% NH: 40.6% |
58.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
46.3%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±3.5 NH: 6% |
3%±3.4Lowest NH: 6% |
4.8%±2.9Highest NH: 6% |
| Thornton 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 about the NH average |
$117,759±$15kHighest 19% above NH |
$90,022±$17kLowest 9% below NH |
| Wilmot 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 |
$399,600±$43kHighest about the NH average |
$351,900±$20kLowest 13% below NH |
| Wilmot and Sunapee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,713±$451Highest 15% above NH |
$1,125±$289Lowest 25% below NH |
$1,270±$428 15% below NH |
| Sunapee and Thornton 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 |
$6,651Highest about the NH average |
$5,032 25% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.6%±10.5Lowest NH: 48.2% |
41.1%±41.8 NH: 48.2% |
57.7%±24.7Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Thornton and Wilmot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2.3%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
9.2% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
83.4% NH: 72.8% |
88.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
1988Highest 9 yrs newer than NH |
1984 5 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 23% above NH |
33 min 22% above NH |
23 minLowest 15% below NH |
| Work from home | 9.5%±4.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
18.9%±3.8 NH: 16.8% |
29.8%±9.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Thornton and Wilmot 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 | — | #18 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Sunapee School District | — | Thornton School District |
| High school in town | Sunapee Sr. High School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.9 |
— | — |
| 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.