What stands out worked out from the figures below

Canaan has the shortest commute (17 min average).

Douglas has the highest household income ($152k).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Canaan	Douglas
People
Population	1,175Lowest	9,207Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	+6% U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	54.2±3.2Highest 39% above U.S.	44±2.6Lowest 13% above U.S.
Kids under 18	14.6%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22%	21.2%±3.8Highest U.S.: 22%
	Douglas and Canaan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	27.5%±1.9Highest U.S.: 17.2%	15.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	49.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	41.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	12%±8.3Highest U.S.: 6.4%	5.4%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Canaan and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$89,632±$25kLowest 11% above U.S.	$152,267±$10kHighest 89% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$469,400±$33kLowest 41% above U.S.	$470,600±$29kHighest 41% above U.S.
	Douglas and Canaan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,830±$307Highest 30% above U.S.	$1,503±$697Lowest 6% above U.S.
	Canaan and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,331Lowest 103% above U.S.	$6,338Highest 103% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	67.1%±26Highest U.S.: 51.1%	33.9%±17.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Canaan and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	16%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	83.8% U.S.: 65.2%	83.8% U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1944Lowest 36 yrs older than U.S.	1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	17 minLowest 36% below U.S.	34 minHighest 28% above U.S.
Work from home	29.2%±13.5Highest U.S.: 15.1%	20.9%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Canaan and Douglas 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	—	#177 of 282 in MA
School district	Canaan School District · Regional School District 01	Douglas
High school in town	Housatonic Valley Regional High School	Douglas High School
Students per teacherat that high school	9.4Highest	7.2Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.