Compare towns
Canaan vs Douglas vs Salisbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Canaan has the oldest population (median age 54.2).
Douglas has the highest household income ($152k).
Salisbury has the most expensive homes ($764k 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 | Canaan | Douglas | Salisbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,175Lowest |
9,207Highest |
4,224 |
| 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. |
44.2±9.9 14% above U.S. |
| Canaan and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.6%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.2%±3.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±6.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Douglas and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.5%±1.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
28.1%±5.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Salisbury and Canaan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
41.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
58.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 12%±8.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±2.1Lowest 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. |
$124,256±$26k 54% above U.S. |
| Douglas and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $469,400±$33kLowest 41% above U.S. |
$470,600±$29k 41% above U.S. |
$763,700±$121kHighest 130% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,830±$307 30% above U.S. |
$1,503±$697Lowest 6% above U.S. |
$1,846±$736Highest 31% above U.S. |
| Salisbury and Canaan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,331 103% above U.S. |
$6,338Highest 103% above U.S. |
$5,125Lowest 64% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.1%±26Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
33.9%±17.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
23.2%±11.8Lowest 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
68.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1944Lowest 36 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
34 minHighest 28% above U.S. |
20 min 25% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 29.2%±13.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.9%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
28%±8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Canaan and Salisbury 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 | #19 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Canaan School District · Regional School District 01 | Douglas | Salisbury School District |
| High school in town | Housatonic Valley Regional High School | Douglas High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.4Highest |
7.2Lowest |
— |
| 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.