Compare towns
Canaan vs Boscawen vs Lancaster
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 people working from home (14.9%).
Boscawen has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.8%).
Lancaster has the shortest commute (23 min average).
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 | Boscawen | Lancaster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,811 |
4,044Highest |
3,216Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.9% NH: +4.6% |
+0.8%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-8.2%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 44.4±3.7Lowest about the NH average |
46±4.2Highest 6% above NH |
45.5±6.9 5% above NH |
| Boscawen and Lancaster 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% |
18.1%±4.5 NH: 18.2% |
20.9%±6.1Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Lancaster 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 NH: 20.1% |
25.2%±5.3 NH: 20.1% |
28.4%±5.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Lancaster and Boscawen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.2% NH: 40.6% |
20.5%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
30.1%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7%±2.5Highest NH: 6% |
2.3%±1.9Lowest NH: 6% |
2.9%±2.2 NH: 6% |
| Canaan and Lancaster 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 18% below NH |
$77,328±$27k 22% below NH |
$68,911±$23kLowest 30% below NH |
| 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 37% below NH |
$286,500±$23kHighest 29% below NH |
$215,700±$24kLowest 46% below NH |
| 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 24% below NH |
$1,265±$307Highest 15% below NH |
$1,019±$263Lowest 32% below NH |
| 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 10% below NH |
$6,549Highest about the NH average |
$4,226Lowest 37% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 74.4%±25.1Highest NH: 48.2% |
41.2%±21 NH: 48.2% |
36.1%±17Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Canaan and Boscawen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.6%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
17%Highest NH: 7.2% |
16.7% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
75.3% NH: 72.8% |
75.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 4 yrs older than NH |
1978Highest 1 yr older than NH |
1942Lowest 37 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 12% above NH |
28 min 4% above NH |
23 minLowest 14% below NH |
| Work from home | 14.9%±6Highest NH: 16.8% |
9.9%±6.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
11.5%±6.3 NH: 16.8% |
| Canaan and Lancaster 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 | #107 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Mascoma Valley Regional School District | Merrimack Valley School District | White Mountains Regional School District |
| High school in town | Mascoma Valley Regional High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.3 |
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| 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.