Compare towns
Wells vs Sutton vs Sunapee
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).
Sutton has the highest household income ($130k).
Sunapee has the most renters (24.1% rent).
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 | Wells | Sutton | Sunapee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,713Highest |
2,239Lowest |
3,416 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +18%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.6±3.8 38% above U.S. |
48.1±4.1Lowest 24% above U.S. |
56.7±1.4Highest 46% above U.S. |
| Sunapee and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±3.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
9.9%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Sutton and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 31%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.6%±5.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
33.3%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Sunapee and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
50.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±3.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Sutton and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $88,024±$11kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$130,313±$31kHighest 61% above U.S. |
$101,393±$20k 26% above U.S. |
| Sutton and Sunapee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $485,300±$23kHighest 46% above U.S. |
$362,600±$16kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$393,000±$51k 18% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,350±$297Lowest 4% below U.S. |
$1,656±$614 17% above 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 | $3,215Lowest 3% above U.S. |
$7,652Highest 145% above U.S. |
$4,400 41% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.1%±19.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
27.6%±47.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
34.6%±10.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Wells and Sunapee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 4% above U.S. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.8%±4.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.8%±5.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.5%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Wells 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 | #22 of 133 in ME | — | #14 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | Kearsarge Regional School District | Sunapee School District |
| High school in town | Wells High School | Kearsarge Regional High School | Sunapee Sr. High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4 |
10.4Lowest |
11.9Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.