Sutton

Merrimack County•Upper Valley•Population: 1,978

Overview

Sutton is a rural town in Merrimack County near Mount Kearsarge and the Lake Sunapee region, made up of several small villages including Sutton Mills and South Sutton. The town's rolling hills and farmland give it a classic rural New Hampshire character.

Mount Kearsarge and nearby Wadleigh State Park offer hiking and swimming, while the town's rural roads connect small residential clusters rather than a defined downtown. Sutton's proximity to New London and Sunapee provides access to more developed retail and dining options.

Housing in Sutton remains relatively affordable for the Sunapee region, drawing families and retirees who want mountain and lake proximity without premium prices.

Pros & Cons

✓ Pros

•Mountain access
•Rural character
•Affordable
•Near Sunapee

✗ Cons

•Limited services
•No downtown
•Rural roads

Cost of Owning Here

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

2025 Local Tax Rate

$16.61

per $1,000 assessed value

2025 Effective (Equalized) Rate

$15.98

Equalization ratio: 96%

Municipal

$5.07

Local School

$8.90

State Education

$1.04

County

$1.60

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.

Year	Total Rate	Effective Rate	Municipal	Local School	State Ed.	County
2025	$16.61	$15.98	$5.07	$8.90	$1.04	$1.60

Source: NH DRA

Example Tax Bills for 2025

Home Value	Estimated Annual Tax	Estimated Monthly
$250,000	$4,153	$346
$350,000	$5,814	$485
$500,000	$8,305	$692
$750,000	$12,458	$1,038
$1,000,000	$16,610	$1,384

Estimates calculated using the 2025 local tax rate of $16.61 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.

Open Full Calculator →Compare With Other Towns →View Statewide Rankings →

Climate & Environment

Summer Avg High

78.4°F

Winter Avg High

34.3°F

Annual Snowfall

67.3 in

Annual Rainfall

49.2 in

Sunny Days/Year

262

Data source: Open-Meteo / ERA5 • Updated 7/4/2026

Transportation & Commute

Commute to Major Cities

Boston

94 mi

~109 min drive

Manchester

44 mi

~52 min drive

Portsmouth

86 mi

~101 min drive

Concord

31 mi

~41 min drive

Data source: OpenRouteService / OpenStreetMap • Updated 7/3/2026

Safety & Crime

Safety Score

10/10

Crime Rate

3.54/1,000

Crime Trend

stable

Data source: FBI Crime Data Explorer (UCR) - https://cde.ucr.cjis.gov/ • Updated 8/12/2026

Recreation & Outdoors

Outdoor Recreation Score

39/100

Trail Miles

11.2

Boat Launches

State Parks

Winter & Camping

Snowmobile Trails:1 miles

XC Ski Trails:0 miles

Campgrounds:4

Economy & Demographics

💰Income

Median Household Income

$130,568

Per Capita Income

$57,231

Median Family Income

$139,750

🏠Housing Costs

Median Home Value

$289,900

Median Rent

$1,156/mo

Homeownership Rate

95.51%

💼Employment

Unemployment Rate

3.08%

In Labor Force

1,397

🎓Education

Bachelor's Degree or Higher

25.68%

Total with Degree

413

👥Demographics

Median Age

47.4 years

Avg Household Size

2.66 people

Data source: Census ACS 2022 (5-Year) • Census Data Year: 2022 • Updated 7/3/2026

Condo Communities in Sutton

one registered condo association — offering active low-maintenance living options.

One condo association▼

🏢Kearsarge Mountain Estates HOA(28 units)

Median Income

$59k

familiesretirees

Compare Sutton with Other Towns

See how Sutton stacks up against other NH communities.

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