Compare towns
Bow vs Canaan vs Orange
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bow has the most expensive homes ($507k median).
Canaan has the most affordable homes ($254k median).
Orange has the most homeowners (97.5%).
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 | Bow | Canaan | Orange |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335Highest |
3,811 |
320Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-2.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
— |
| Median age | 41.5±2 4% below NH |
44.4±3.7Highest about the NH average |
41.3±9.1Lowest 5% below NH |
| Canaan and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
14.7%±4.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
20.6%±5.6 NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
19.1%±4.2 NH: 20.1% |
20%±5Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Orange and Canaan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
28.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
37.2% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
7%±2.5Highest NH: 6% |
4.7%±3.7Lowest NH: 6% |
| Canaan and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
$81,583±$6kLowest 18% below NH |
$118,750±$39k 20% above NH |
| Bow and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34kHighest 26% above NH |
$254,000±$26kLowest 37% below NH |
$302,600±$35k 25% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178Highest 3% above NH |
$1,140±$90Lowest 24% below NH |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584Highest 44% above NH |
$5,985 10% below NH |
$5,132Lowest 23% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
74.4%±25.1Highest NH: 48.2% |
0%±100Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Canaan and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
13.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
9.4% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% NH: 72.8% |
77.3%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
97.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
1986Highest 7 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the NH average |
30 minHighest 12% above NH |
28 min 5% above NH |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
14.9%±6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
20.8%±8.9 NH: 16.8% |
| Bow and Orange 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 | #26 of 120 in NH | #83 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Bow School District | Mascoma Valley Regional School District | — |
| High school in town | Bow High School | Mascoma Valley Regional High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
10.3Lowest |
— |
| 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.