Compare towns
Canaan vs Bellows Falls vs Boscawen
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 most people working from home (14.9%).
Bellows Falls has the most renters (49.3% rent).
Boscawen has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.8%).
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 | Bellows Falls | Boscawen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,811 |
2,891Lowest |
4,044Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
-12.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.4±3.7 14% above U.S. |
41.3±6.7Lowest 6% above U.S. |
46±4.2Highest 18% above U.S. |
| Boscawen 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 U.S.: 22% |
22.6%±6.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.1%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Bellows Falls and Boscawen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.1%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.7%±5.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.2%±5.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Boscawen and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
27.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
20.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7%±2.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
8.2%±4.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.3%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bellows Falls and Canaan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $81,583±$6kHighest about the U.S. average |
$56,086±$2kLowest 31% below U.S. |
$77,328±$27k 4% below U.S. |
| Canaan and Boscawen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $254,000±$26k 24% below U.S. |
$195,600±$35kLowest 41% below U.S. |
$286,500±$23kHighest 14% below U.S. |
| Boscawen and Canaan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,140±$90 19% below U.S. |
$1,038±$109Lowest 27% below U.S. |
$1,265±$307Highest 10% below U.S. |
| Boscawen and Canaan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,985 92% above U.S. |
$4,448Lowest 43% above U.S. |
$6,549Highest 110% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 74.4%±25.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.9%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
41.2%±21Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Canaan and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
25.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
17% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
50.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
28 min 6% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 14.9%±6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.9%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.9%±6.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Canaan and Boscawen 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 | #83 of 120 in NH | — | #51 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Mascoma Valley Regional School District | — | Merrimack Valley School District |
| High school in town | Mascoma Valley Regional High School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.3 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.