Sunapee

Sullivan CountyUpper ValleyPopulation: 3,342

Overview

Sunapee is a small town in Sullivan County with a close-knit community atmosphere.

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • Active marinas, town beach, and waterside trail network
  • Direct gateway to Mount Sunapee Resort and nearby skiing
  • Compact downtown anchored by boutiques, galleries, and restaurants

Cons

  • Seasonal visitors drive summer congestion and housing premiums
  • Lake-effect snow requires reliable winter maintenance

Cost of Owning Here

Official property tax rates published by the NH Department of Revenue Administration, plus estimated tax bills for Sunapee.

2025 Local Tax Rate
$10.55
per $1,000 assessed value
2025 Effective (Equalized) Rate
$8.14
Equalization ratio: 77%
Municipal
$2.71
Local School
$4.31
State Education
$1.17
County
$2.36

Why "Effective Rate" is a better comparison

New Hampshire towns do not all assess property at the same percentage of market value. The state publishes an annual equalization ratio for every municipality showing how close local assessments are to full market value. A town that assesses homes at only 64% of market value will show an artificially high tax rate compared to a town that assesses at 100%. Multiplying the local rate by the equalization ratio produces an effective (equalized) rate that can be fairly compared across any two towns in the state.

YearTotal RateEffective RateMunicipalLocal SchoolState Ed.County
2025$10.55$8.14$2.71$4.31$1.17$2.36

Source: NH DRA

Example Tax Bills for 2025

Home ValueEstimated Annual TaxEstimated Monthly
$250,000$2,638$220
$350,000$3,693$308
$500,000$5,275$440
$750,000$7,913$659
$1,000,000$10,550$879

Estimates calculated using the 2025 local tax rate of $10.55 per $1,000 of assessed value. Actual tax bills depend on your property's specific assessed value and any exemptions or credits you may qualify for.

Climate & Environment

Summer Avg High
76°F
Winter Avg High
31.8°F
Annual Snowfall
69.3 in
Annual Rainfall
48.5 in
Sunny Days/Year
260
Data source: Open-Meteo / ERA5Updated 7/4/2026

Transportation & Commute

Commute to Major Cities

Boston
105 mi
~121 min drive
Manchester
55 mi
~63 min drive
Portsmouth
96 mi
~112 min drive
Concord
41 mi
~53 min drive
Data source: OpenRouteService / OpenStreetMapUpdated 7/3/2026

Safety & Crime

Safety Score
10/10
Crime Rate
4.49/1,000
Crime Trend
stable

Recreation & Outdoors

Outdoor Recreation Score
37/100
Trail Miles
20.2
0
Boat Launches
4
State Parks
2
0

Winter & Camping

Snowmobile Trails:6 miles
XC Ski Trails:0 miles
Campgrounds:2

Economy & Demographics

💰Income

Median Household Income
$102,361
Per Capita Income
$46,790
Median Family Income
$123,922

🏠Housing Costs

Median Home Value
$341,700
Median Rent
$1,228/mo
Homeownership Rate
79.68%

💼Employment

Unemployment Rate
3.68%
In Labor Force
1,795

🎓Education

Bachelor's Degree or Higher
16.29%
Total with Degree
456

👥Demographics

Median Age
52.8 years
Avg Household Size
2.99 people
Data source: Census ACS 2022 (5-Year)Census Data Year: 2022Updated 7/3/2026

Compare Sunapee with Other Towns

See how Sunapee stacks up against other NH communities.