The Town FilesSunapee, New Hampshire
Town in Sullivan County · population 3,342 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $393,000
- Household income
- $101,393
- Jan low / Jul high
- 13° / 79°
- Snow a year
- 85 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 56.7
Sunapee is a town of 3,342 people in Sullivan County, New Hampshire. The median home is worth $393,000, above the typical New Hampshire town ($357,650). It ranks easier by car than 93% of New Hampshire towns, better for a vacation home than 92% of New Hampshire towns, hipper than 83% of New Hampshire towns.
How Sunapee ranks
Percentile among New Hampshire towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of New Hampshire towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Sunapee is worth $393,000, above the typical New Hampshire town ($357,650). Homes cost about 3.9 times the median household income of $101,393, which is more affordable than 46% of New Hampshire towns. Median rent is $1,713 a month. 75.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Sunapee | Typical New Hampshire town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $393,000 | $357,650 |
| Median rent | $1,713 | $1,285 |
| Median household income | $101,393 | $94,107 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.9× | 3.8× |
| Homeownership | 75.9% | 82.1% |
| Median year built | 1975 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 40.2% | — |
Who lives in Sunapee
| People | Sunapee | Typical New Hampshire town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 56.7 | 46.3 |
| Age 65 and over | 33.3% | 22.3% |
| Under 18 | 9.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 50.6% | 36.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 12.4% | 7.2% |
| Veterans | 8.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.8% | — |
| Work from home | 9.5% | 14.2% |
| Average commute | 32.8 min | 27.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 95.9% | 92.5% |
Weather in Sunapee
July highs average 78.9°F and January lows 12.9°F. About 48.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 85.4 inches of snow (typical New Hampshire town: 67.7 in). Expect about 2 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 152 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Sunapee since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical New Hampshire town. The strongest, an F0, struck on October 24, 1955 about 5.5 miles from the town center. The most recent was on October 24, 1955.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 10 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on June 26, 2026.
Severe weather in Sullivan County since 1996
Sullivan County has been included in 33 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| July 10, 2024 | Winter Storm | DR-4799: Severe Winter Storm And Flooding |
| September 14, 2023 | Flood | DR-4740: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| October 4, 2021 | Flood | DR-4624: Severe Storm And Flooding |
| April 3, 2020 | Biological | DR-4516: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3445: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Sullivan County
Sullivan County had 13,867 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $58,062 a year. Unemployment was 1.9% in 2023; in Sunapee itself the ACS puts it at 0%.
Public schools in Sunapee
3 public schools with 396 students, about 10.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sunapee Central School | K-5 | 178 | 10.5 |
| Sunapee Sr. High School | 9-13 | 133 | 11.1 |
| Sunapee Middle High School | 6-8 | 85 | 10.6 |
Towns near Sunapee
- Newport, NH4.5 mi · 4,735 people · home $211,200
- New London, NH5.5 mi · 4,400 people · home $554,100
- Newport, NH5.7 mi · 6,299 people · home $225,900
- Grantham, NH9.2 mi · 3,404 people · home $343,100
- Claremont, NH12.1 mi · 12,949 people · home $204,600
- Enfield, NH14.8 mi · 4,465 people · home $390,800
- Warner, NH15.1 mi · 2,937 people · home $353,100
- Windsor, VT17.5 mi · 3,559 people · home $207,500
Sunapee questions
Is Sunapee, New Hampshire a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Sunapee scores better for retirees than 62% of New Hampshire towns and quieter than 46%. 33.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 56.7).
How much does a house cost in Sunapee?
The median owner-occupied home in Sunapee is valued at $393,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $101,393, so homes cost about 3.9 times income. Median rent is $1,713 a month.
What is the weather like in Sunapee?
July highs average 78.9°F and January lows 12.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 48.5 inches of precipitation a year and 85.4 inches of snow.
Does Sunapee get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Sunapee since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F0 on October 24, 1955. The typical New Hampshire town has had 5.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)