Compare towns
Canaan vs Bedford vs Jaffrey
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Canaan has the most renters (22.7% rent).
Bedford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10%).
Jaffrey has the youngest population (median age 42.9).
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 | Bedford | Jaffrey |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,811Lowest |
23,746Highest |
5,448 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+10%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-2.5% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 44.4±3.7 about the NH average |
45±2.2Highest 4% above NH |
42.9±3.9Lowest about the NH average |
| Bedford and Canaan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.7%±4.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
22.7%±2.5 NH: 18.2% |
23.1%±5.1Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Jaffrey and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.1%±4.2 NH: 20.1% |
20.5%±2.1Highest NH: 20.1% |
18.5%±3.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Bedford and Canaan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
63%Highest NH: 40.6% |
31.2% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7%±2.5Highest NH: 6% |
4.7%±2.1 NH: 6% |
3.1%±2.4Lowest NH: 6% |
| Canaan and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $81,583±$6kLowest 18% below NH |
$167,418±$12kHighest 69% above NH |
$92,330±$18k 7% below NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $254,000±$26k 37% below NH |
$612,100±$26kHighest 52% above NH |
$245,500±$27kLowest 39% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,140±$90 24% below NH |
$2,099±$274Highest 41% above NH |
$962±$202Lowest 35% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,985Lowest 10% below NH |
$9,803Highest 47% above NH |
$6,196 7% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 74.4%±25.1Highest NH: 48.2% |
59.4%±15.3 NH: 48.2% |
45.7%±23Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Canaan and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
3.8% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.3%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
82.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
81.8% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 4 yrs older than NH |
1990Highest 11 yrs newer than NH |
1973Lowest 6 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 12% above NH |
25 min 5% below NH |
25 minLowest 8% below NH |
| Work from home | 14.9%±6 NH: 16.8% |
27%±3.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
7.5%±4.2Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #83 of 120 in NH | #7 of 120 in NH | #87 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Mascoma Valley Regional School District | Bedford School District | Jaffrey-Rindge Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | Mascoma Valley Regional High School | Bedford High School | Conant Middle High School (H) |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.3Lowest |
13.5 |
21.3Highest |
| 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.