Compare towns
Boscawen vs Pittsfield vs Canterbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Boscawen has the most affordable homes ($287k median).
Pittsfield has the most kids (20.8% under 18).
Canterbury has the most people working from home (21.6%).
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 | Boscawen | Pittsfield | Canterbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,044 |
4,105Highest |
2,353Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.8% NH: +4.6% |
-0.8%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+1.6%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 46±4.2 6% above NH |
41.5±5.1Lowest 4% below NH |
48.6±3.8Highest 12% above NH |
| Canterbury and Boscawen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.1%±4.5 NH: 18.2% |
20.8%±6Highest NH: 18.2% |
17.4%±4.4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Pittsfield and Boscawen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±5.3Highest NH: 20.1% |
18.7%±4.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
22.9%±3.3 NH: 20.1% |
| Boscawen and Canterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20.5%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
22.7% NH: 40.6% |
49.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±1.9Lowest NH: 6% |
4.5%±3.1 NH: 6% |
6.8%±3Highest NH: 6% |
| Canterbury and Pittsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $77,328±$27k 22% below NH |
$74,318±$14kLowest 25% below NH |
$129,333±$37kHighest 31% above NH |
| Canterbury and Boscawen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $286,500±$23kLowest 29% below NH |
$294,800±$30k 27% below NH |
$443,700±$21kHighest 10% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,265±$307 15% below NH |
$1,239±$182Lowest 17% below NH |
$2,136±$233Highest 43% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,549 about the NH average |
$5,694Lowest 15% below NH |
$7,421Highest 11% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.2%±21Lowest NH: 48.2% |
67.5%±27.3 NH: 48.2% |
71.7%±48.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Canterbury and Pittsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 17%Highest NH: 7.2% |
11.3% NH: 7.2% |
5.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.3% NH: 72.8% |
68.8%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
93.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Lowest 1 yr older than NH |
1980 1 yr newer than NH |
1982Highest 3 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 4% above NH |
27 minLowest about the NH average |
33 minHighest 22% above NH |
| Work from home | 9.9%±6.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
11.6%±5 NH: 16.8% |
21.6%±7.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Canterbury and Pittsfield 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 | #51 of 120 in NH | #93 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Merrimack Valley School District | Pittsfield School District | Shaker Regional School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Pittsfield High School | None in town |
| 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.