Compare towns
Calais vs Jaffrey vs Marshfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Calais has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.4%).
Jaffrey has the shortest commute (25 min average).
Marshfield has the most affordable homes ($214k median).
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 | Calais | Jaffrey | Marshfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,713Lowest |
5,448Highest |
1,863 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42±8.6 8% above U.S. |
42.9±3.9Highest 10% above U.S. |
38.7±6.1Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Jaffrey and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.5%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.1%±5.1 U.S.: 22% |
24.2%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Marshfield and Jaffrey are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±3.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.8%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Calais and Jaffrey are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
31.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
38.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Calais and Jaffrey are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $100,625±$27kHighest 25% above U.S. |
$92,330±$18k 14% above U.S. |
$60,313±$10kLowest 25% below U.S. |
| Calais and Jaffrey are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $390,300±$36kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$245,500±$27k 26% below U.S. |
$214,100±$37kLowest 36% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,408±$392Highest about the U.S. average |
$962±$202Lowest 32% below U.S. |
$1,317±$126 7% below U.S. |
| Calais and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,586Highest 111% above U.S. |
$6,196 99% above U.S. |
$3,668Lowest 18% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49%±38.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
45.7%±23Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
65.7%±73.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Marshfield and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1972Lowest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 18% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 7% below U.S. |
29 min 9% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 23.4%±7.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.5%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
24.5%±7.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Marshfield and Calais 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 | — | #87 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Jaffrey-Rindge Cooperative School District | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Conant Middle High School (H) | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 21.3 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.