Compare towns
Canaan vs Bellows Falls vs Orange
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 44.4).
Bellows Falls has the most renters (49.3% rent).
Orange has the highest household income ($119k).
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 | Orange |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,811Highest |
2,891 |
320Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-12.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 44.4±3.7Highest 14% above U.S. |
41.3±6.7Lowest 6% above U.S. |
41.3±9.1Lowest 6% above U.S. |
| Canaan and Bellows Falls 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% |
20.6%±5.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Bellows Falls and Orange 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%±5.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20%±5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bellows Falls and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
27.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7%±2.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
8.2%±4.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.7%±3.7Lowest 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±$6k about the U.S. average |
$56,086±$2kLowest 31% below U.S. |
$118,750±$39kHighest 47% above U.S. |
| Orange and Canaan 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. |
$302,600±$35kHighest 9% below U.S. |
| Orange and Canaan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,140±$90Highest 19% below U.S. |
$1,038±$109Lowest 27% below U.S. |
— |
| Canaan and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,985Highest 92% above U.S. |
$4,448Lowest 43% above U.S. |
$5,132 65% 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% |
0%±100Lowest 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
25.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
50.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
97.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer 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%±6 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.9%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.8%±8.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Orange and Canaan 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 | — | — |
| School district | Mascoma Valley Regional School District | — | — |
| High school in town | Mascoma Valley Regional High School | — | — |
| 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.