Compare towns
Suncook vs Bethlehem vs Bristol
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Suncook has the most expensive homes ($361k median).
Bethlehem has the most people working from home (31.2%).
Bristol has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.2%).
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 | Suncook | Bethlehem | Bristol |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,432Highest |
2,537Lowest |
3,273 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3% NH: +4.6% |
-1.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+6.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 37.9±8.1Lowest 12% below NH |
50.6±8.5Highest 17% above NH |
42.7±5.7 about the NH average |
| Bethlehem and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.8%±4.9 NH: 18.2% |
17.7%±5.4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
24.3%±6.4Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Bristol and Suncook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.5%±3.3Lowest NH: 20.1% |
28.2%±5.5Highest NH: 20.1% |
23.2%±4.9 NH: 20.1% |
| Bethlehem and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31.4%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
45.1%Highest NH: 40.6% |
35.5% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±1.6 NH: 6% |
0.9%±0.9Lowest NH: 6% |
3.6%±2Highest NH: 6% |
| Bristol and Suncook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $79,836±$25k 19% below NH |
$85,029±$18kHighest 14% below NH |
$78,438±$10kLowest 21% below NH |
| Bethlehem and Suncook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $361,100±$22kHighest 10% below NH |
$288,300±$22k 28% below NH |
$258,300±$63kLowest 36% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,091±$317Lowest 27% below NH |
$1,174±$81 21% below NH |
$1,310±$97Highest 12% below NH |
| Bristol and Bethlehem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,975Highest 5% above NH |
$5,418 19% below NH |
$4,162Lowest 38% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.2%±21.7Highest NH: 48.2% |
41.3%±18.3Lowest NH: 48.2% |
46.3%±14.2 NH: 48.2% |
| Suncook and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.9%Highest NH: 7.2% |
10.1%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
10.3% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.5%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
75.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
69.7% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1951Lowest 28 yrs older than NH |
1973 6 yrs older than NH |
1977Highest 2 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 8% below NH |
20 minLowest 24% below NH |
28 minHighest 4% above NH |
| Work from home | 15.5%±6.7 NH: 16.8% |
31.2%±12.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
11.8%±5.2Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Bethlehem and Suncook 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 | — | #34 of 120 in NH | #79 of 120 in NH |
| School district | — | Bethlehem School District · Profile School District | Newfound Area School District |
| High school in town | — | Profile Senior High School | Newfound Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.9Lowest |
11.5Highest |
| 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.