Compare towns
Thornton vs Sutton vs Ossipee
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Thornton has the most people working from home (29.8%).
Sutton has the highest household income ($130k).
Ossipee has the most affordable homes ($326k median).
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 | Thornton | Sutton | Ossipee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,799 |
2,239Lowest |
4,521Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.8%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+7.7% NH: +4.6% |
+0.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 51.1±3.4Highest 18% above NH |
48.1±4.1Lowest 11% above NH |
50±4.6 15% above NH |
| Thornton and Ossipee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.9%±4.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
20.5%±3.8Highest NH: 18.2% |
19.5%±4.5 NH: 18.2% |
| Sutton and Ossipee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19%±4.9Lowest NH: 20.1% |
21.6%±5.9 NH: 20.1% |
26.3%±5.9Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Ossipee and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
44.3% NH: 40.6% |
24.8%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.9 NH: 6% |
4.9%±3.6Highest NH: 6% |
2.9%±1.7Lowest NH: 6% |
| Sutton and Thornton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $90,022±$17kLowest 9% below NH |
$130,313±$31kHighest 32% above NH |
$90,521±$22k 9% below NH |
| Sutton and Ossipee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $351,900±$20k 13% below NH |
$362,600±$16kHighest 10% below NH |
$325,500±$23kLowest 19% below NH |
| Sutton and Thornton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,270±$428Lowest 15% below NH |
$1,656±$614Highest 11% above NH |
$1,601±$245 7% above NH |
| Sutton and Ossipee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,032 25% below NH |
$7,652Highest 15% above NH |
$4,401Lowest 34% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.7%±24.7 NH: 48.2% |
27.6%±47.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
72%±16.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Ossipee and Thornton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.2%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.8%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
8.1% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.3% NH: 72.8% |
95.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
82%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 5 yrs newer than NH |
1971Lowest 8 yrs older than NH |
1979 same as NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 15% below NH |
29 min 10% above NH |
33 minHighest 25% above NH |
| Work from home | 29.8%±9.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
14.8%±5.6 NH: 16.8% |
5.3%±3.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Thornton and Sutton 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 | #18 of 120 in NH | — | #100 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Thornton School District | Kearsarge Regional School District | Governor Wentworth Regional School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Kearsarge Regional High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.4 |
— |
| 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.