Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, 8 am - 5 pm, and Wednesday, 8 am - 1 pm; Town Clerk/Tax Collector: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, 8 am - 5 pm, Wednesday, 8 am - 1 pm, and the second and fourth Saturday each month except holiday weekends, 9 am - 12 noon
County
Sullivan
Labor Market Area
Newport NH LMA
Tourism Region
Dartmouth-Lake Sunapee
Planning Commission
Upper Valley/Lake Sunapee
Regional Development
Western Region Development Corp.
Election Districts
US Congress
District 2
Executive Council
District
1
State Senate
District 8
State Representative
Sullivan County District 3
Incorporated: 1781
Origin: Like many other towns, this one went through four name changes before its incorporation: Savile, Corey's Town, and then Wendell, for one of the Masonian proprietors, John Wendell. The name Sunapee was substituted for Wendell by the Legislature in 1850. The town, Lake Sunapee, and Mount Sunapee share the name which comes from the Algonquin Indian words "suna," meaning goose, and "apee," meaning lake. The Indians called the area Goose Lake because it was a favorite spot of wild geese. Sunapee includes the village of George's Mills.
Population, Year of the First Census Taken:
267 residents in 1790
Population Trends:
Sunapee's population has grown steadily, though below average, except for a spike in growth between 1970-1980. Decennial growth rates ranged from a five percent increase between 1950-1960 to a 67 percent increase between 1970-1980. Over fifty years, Sunapee's population increased by a total of 1,947 residents, going from 1,108 in 1950 to 3,055 residents in 2000. The 2004 Census estimate for Sunapee was 3,258 residents, which ranked 105th among New Hampshire's incorporated cities and towns.
Population Density, 2004:
154.7 persons per square mile of land area. Sunapee contains 21.1 square miles of land area and 4.1 square miles of inland water area.
Villages and Place Names:
Burkehaven, Fernwood, Georges Mills, Granliden, Wendell
MUNICIPAL SERVICES
Type of Government
Selectmen/Town Manager
Budget: Municipal Appropriations, 2004
$5,161,077
Budget: School Appropriations
not available
Zoning Ordinance
1987/04
Master Plan
1998
Capitol Improvement Plan
Yes
Industrial Plans Reviewed By
Planning Board
Boards and Commissions
Elected:
Board of Selectmen; Planning Board; Zoning Board
Appointed:
Conservation Commission; Library Trustees
Public Library
Abbott
EMERGENCY SERVICES
Police Department
Full-time
Fire Department
Volunteer
Town Fire Insurance Rating
5/9
Emergency Medical Service
Volunteer
Nearest Hospital(s):
New London Hospital, New London
Distance: 6 miles
Staffed Beds:17
UTILITIES
Electric Supplier
PSNH; NH Electric Coop.
Natural Gas Supplier
None
Water Supplier
Municipal
Sanitation
Municipal
Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant
Yes
Solid Waste Disposal
Curbside Trash Pickup
None
Pay-As-You-Throw Program
No
Recycling Program
Mandatory
Telephone Company
Verizon
Cellular Telephone Access
Yes
Cable Television Access
Yes
Public Access Television Station
No
High Speed Cable Internet Service:
Business
Limited
Residential
Limited
PROPERTY TAXES
2004 Total Tax Rate (per $1000 of value)
$25.60
2004 Equalization Ratio
48.2
2004 Full Value Tax Rate (per $1000 of value)
$12.40
2004 Percent of Property Valuation by Type
Residential Land and Buildings
95.0%
Commercial Land and Buildings
3.6%
Other Property including Utilities
1.4%
HOUSING
2003 Total Housing Units
2,253
2003 Single-Family Units
1,813
Building Permits Issued
29
2003 Multi-Family Units
367
Building Permits Issued
2
2003 Manufactured Housing Units
73
DEMOGRAPHICS
Total Population
Community
County
2004
3,258
42,469
2000
3,069
40,560
1990
2,613
38,652
1980
2,312
36,063
1970
1,384
30,949
Census 2000 Demographics
Population by Gender
Male
1,544
Female
1,511
Population by Age Group
Under age 5
128
Age 5 to 19
642
Age 20 to 34
431
Age 35 to 54
996
Age 55 to 64
339
Age 65 and over
519
Median Age
41.7 years
Educational Attainment, population 25 years and over
High school graduate or higher
92.2%
Bachelor's degree or higher
37.1%
ANNUAL INCOME, 1999 (Census 2000)
Per capita income
$29,184
Median 4-person family income
$55,909
Median household income
$49,353
Median Earnings, full-time, year-round workers
Male
$40,720
Female
$27,237
Families below the poverty level
3.8%
LABOR FORCE
Annual Average
1994
2004
Civilian Labor Force
1,543
1,659
Employed
1,507
1,612
Unemployed
36
47
Unemployment Rate
2.3%
2.8%
EMPLOYMENT & WAGES
1994
2004
Goods Producing Industries
Average Employment
101
192
Average Weekly Wage
$409
$699
Service Providing Industries
Average Employment
304
339
Average Weekly Wage
$291
$447
Total Private Industry
Average Employment
405
531
Average Weekly Wage
$320
$538
Government (Federal, State, and Local)
Average Employment
240
179
Average Weekly Wage
$335
$591
Total, Private plus Government
Average Employment
645
710
Average Weekly Wage
$326
$551
n = indicates that the data does not meet disclosure standards
EDUCATION/CHILD CARE FACILITIES
Schools students attend:
Sunapee operates grades K-12
District: SAU
43
Career Technology Center(s):
Sugar River Valley Technical Center, Newport or Claremont
Region: 10
Educational Facilities
Elementary
Middle/Junior High
High School
Private/Parochial
Number of Schools
1
1
1
1
Grade Levels
K 1-5
6-8
9-12
K-12
Total Enrollment
214
136
199
n/a
NH Licensed Child Care Facilities, 2004:
Total Facilities:2
Total Capacity:29
Nearest Community/Technical
College:Claremont
Nearest Colleges or
Universities:Colby-Sawyer; Magdalen
