Compare towns

White River Junction vs Sunapee vs Lebanon

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..

What stands out worked out from the figures below

White River Junction has the most affordable homes ($279k median).
Sunapee has the most homeowners (75.9%).
Lebanon has the most people working from home (22.8%).

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.

MeasureWhite River JunctionSunapeeLebanon
People
Population
3,364Lowest
3,416
14,999Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+10.8%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
-0.7%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+8.6%
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
33.7±3.2Lowest
13% below U.S.
56.7±1.4Highest
46% above U.S.
38.9±3.1
about the U.S. average
Kids under 18
17.1%±5Highest
U.S.: 22%
9.9%±3.4Lowest
U.S.: 22%
14.6%±2.4
U.S.: 22%
White River Junction and Lebanon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
12.5%±3.6Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
33.3%±7.1Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
21.4%±2.6
U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
38.9%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
50.6%
U.S.: 35.7%
57.5%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
1.2%±1.1Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
4.5%±3.5
U.S.: 6.4%
6.9%±2.6Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
Lebanon and Sunapee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$77,168±$4kLowest
4% below U.S.
$101,393±$20kHighest
26% above U.S.
$98,147±$10k
22% above U.S.
Sunapee and Lebanon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$278,800±$78kLowest
16% below U.S.
$393,000±$51kHighest
18% above U.S.
$385,400±$29k
16% above U.S.
Sunapee and Lebanon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,222±$216Lowest
14% below U.S.
$1,713±$451
21% above U.S.
$1,744±$132Highest
23% above U.S.
Lebanon and Sunapee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$5,651
81% above U.S.
$4,400Lowest
41% above U.S.
$8,149Highest
161% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
42.9%±17.3Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
34.6%±10.5Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
41.9%±7.2
U.S.: 51.1%
White River Junction and Lebanon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
12.1%
U.S.: 12.5%
12.4%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
7%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
43.9%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
75.9%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
51.2%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1963Lowest
17 yrs older than U.S.
1975
5 yrs older than U.S.
1980Highest
same as U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
15 min
42% below U.S.
33 minHighest
24% above U.S.
14 minLowest
47% below U.S.
Work from home
15.7%±5.8
U.S.: 15.1%
9.5%±4.5Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
22.8%±4.3Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
Lebanon and White River Junction 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 #29 of 120 in NH
School district — Sunapee School District Lebanon School District
High school in town — Sunapee Sr. High School Lebanon High School
Students per teacherat that high school —
11.9Highest
11.7Lowest
On TownTapestry
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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.