Compare towns
Sunapee vs Wolfeboro vs Exeter
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 affordable homes ($393k median).
Wolfeboro has the most expensive homes ($547k median).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
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 | Wolfeboro | Exeter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,416Lowest |
6,571 |
16,151Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+2.3% NH: +4.6% |
+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 56.7±1.4 31% above NH |
57±1.8Highest 32% above NH |
45.8±2.3Lowest 6% above NH |
| 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 NH: 18.2% |
13.7%±3.3 NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Exeter 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 NH: 20.1% |
34.6%±5.2Highest NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Wolfeboro 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% NH: 40.6% |
45%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
59.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±3.5 NH: 6% |
2.8%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8Highest NH: 6% |
| Exeter 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 |
$94,375±$22kLowest 5% below NH |
$110,346±$13kHighest 11% above NH |
| Exeter 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±$51kLowest about the NH average |
$546,500±$60kHighest 36% above NH |
$456,600±$21k 13% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,713±$451 15% above NH |
$1,103±$76Lowest 26% below NH |
$1,856±$223Highest 24% above NH |
| Exeter and Sunapee 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 |
$4,531 32% below NH |
$8,814Highest 32% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.6%±10.5 NH: 48.2% |
12%±11.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Below poverty line | 12.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
8.2% NH: 7.2% |
4.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.9% NH: 72.8% |
78.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
69.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
1982Highest 3 yrs newer than NH |
1979 same as NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 23% above NH |
24 minLowest 11% below NH |
25 min 7% below NH |
| Work from home | 9.5%±4.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
22.9%±6.6Highest NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
| Wolfeboro and Exeter 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 | #46 of 120 in NH | #22 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Sunapee School District | Governor Wentworth Regional School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District |
| High school in town | Sunapee Sr. High School | Kingswood Regional High School | Exeter High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.9 |
11.1Lowest |
12.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 59 photos → |
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.