Compare towns
Alstead vs Canaan vs Enfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Alstead has the oldest housing (typical home built 1973).
Canaan has the most people working from home (14.9%).
Enfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2%).
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.
| Measure | Alstead | Canaan | Enfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,551Lowest |
3,811Highest |
1,994 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.8%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
-2.9% NH: +4.6% |
+2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 56±3.3 29% above NH |
44.4±3.7Lowest about the NH average |
58.1±20Highest 34% above NH |
| Enfield and Alstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.3%±3.1 NH: 18.2% |
14.7%±4.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
11.5%±8.8Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Canaan and Alstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.8%±4.2 NH: 20.1% |
19.1%±4.2Lowest NH: 20.1% |
33.8%±12.7Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Enfield and Alstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.3% NH: 40.6% |
28.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
31.1%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2.6Lowest NH: 6% |
7%±2.5Highest NH: 6% |
5.5%±7.3 NH: 6% |
| Canaan and Enfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $64,526±$11kLowest 35% below NH |
$81,583±$6k 18% below NH |
$99,330±$21kHighest about the NH average |
| Enfield and Canaan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $271,600±$37k 33% below NH |
$254,000±$26kLowest 37% below NH |
$277,900±$56kHighest 31% below NH |
| Enfield and Alstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,140±$90 24% below NH |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,322 20% below NH |
$5,985Highest 10% below NH |
$4,779Lowest 28% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 72.1%±22.3 NH: 48.2% |
74.4%±25.1Highest NH: 48.2% |
14.6%±17.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Canaan and Alstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.9%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
13.6% NH: 7.2% |
23.7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76% NH: 72.8% |
77.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
70.5%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 6 yrs older than NH |
1975 4 yrs older than NH |
1982Highest 3 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 19% above NH |
30 min 12% above NH |
22 minLowest 19% below NH |
| Work from home | 12.1%±5.6 NH: 16.8% |
14.9%±6Highest NH: 16.8% |
10.6%±9.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Canaan and Alstead 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 | — | #83 of 120 in NH | #5 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Fall Mountain Regional School District | Mascoma Valley Regional School District | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Mascoma Valley Regional High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.3 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
NH 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.