Compare towns
Canaan vs Bow vs Boscawen
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 affordable homes ($254k median).
Bow has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).
Boscawen has the oldest population (median age 46).
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 | Bow | Boscawen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,811Lowest |
8,335Highest |
4,044 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+0.8% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 44.4±3.7 about the NH average |
41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH |
46±4.2Highest 6% above NH |
| 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 NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
18.1%±4.5 NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Boscawen 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% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
25.2%±5.3Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Boscawen 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% NH: 40.6% |
60.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
20.5%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7%±2.5Highest NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
2.3%±1.9Lowest NH: 6% |
| Canaan and Bow 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 18% below NH |
$172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
$77,328±$27kLowest 22% below NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $254,000±$26kLowest 37% below NH |
$506,500±$34kHighest 26% above NH |
$286,500±$23k 29% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,140±$90Lowest 24% below NH |
$1,539±$178Highest 3% above NH |
$1,265±$307 15% below NH |
| Bow and Boscawen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,985Lowest 10% below NH |
$9,584Highest 44% above NH |
$6,549 about the NH average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 74.4%±25.1Highest NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
41.2%±21 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% NH: 7.2% |
2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
17%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.3% NH: 72.8% |
87.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
75.3%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1978 1 yr older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 12% above NH |
27 minLowest about the NH average |
28 min 4% above NH |
| Work from home | 14.9%±6 NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
9.9%±6.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Bow 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 | #26 of 120 in NH | #51 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Mascoma Valley Regional School District | Bow School District | Merrimack Valley School District |
| High school in town | Mascoma Valley Regional High School | Bow High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.3Lowest |
12.8Highest |
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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.