What stands out worked out from the figures below

Sutton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.4%).

Sunapee has the oldest population (median age 56.7).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Sutton	Sunapee
People
Population	9,452Highest	3,416Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	-0.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	44.3±2.5Lowest 14% above U.S.	56.7±1.4Highest 46% above U.S.
Kids under 18	19.6%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22%	9.9%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	18.8%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	33.3%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	52.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	50.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.9%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	4.5%±3.5Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Sunapee and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$147,125±$25kHighest 82% above U.S.	$101,393±$20kLowest 26% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$523,100±$47kHighest 57% above U.S.	$393,000±$51kLowest 18% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,190±$401Lowest 16% below U.S.	$1,713±$451Highest 21% above U.S.
	Sunapee and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,763Highest 117% above U.S.	$4,400Lowest 41% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	47.5%±24.4Highest U.S.: 51.1%	34.6%±10.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Sutton and Sunapee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	12.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	89.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	75.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S.	1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	30 minLowest 12% above U.S.	33 minHighest 24% above U.S.
Work from home	22.7%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1%	9.5%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#105 of 282 in MA	#14 of 120 in NH
School district	Sutton	Sunapee School District
High school in town	Sutton High School	Sunapee Sr. High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.6Highest	11.9Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.