Compare towns
Canaan vs Bow vs Windham
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 the shortest commute (27 min average).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.4%).
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 | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,811Lowest |
8,335 |
16,038Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.4% NH: +4.6% |
+16.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 44.4±3.7Highest about the NH average |
41.5±2 4% below NH |
41.1±2.9Lowest 5% below NH |
| Canaan and Bow 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%±3.6 NH: 18.2% |
27.4%±3.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Windham and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.1%±4.2Highest NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5 NH: 20.1% |
15.5%±2.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Canaan and Bow 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% |
60.3% NH: 40.6% |
62.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7%±2.5Highest NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.8Lowest 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±$6kLowest 18% below NH |
$172,857±$16k 75% above NH |
$189,583±$19kHighest 91% above NH |
| Windham and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $254,000±$26kLowest 37% below NH |
$506,500±$34k 26% above NH |
$723,300±$50kHighest 80% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,140±$90Lowest 24% below NH |
$1,539±$178 3% above NH |
$3,218±$350Highest 116% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,985Lowest 10% below NH |
$9,584 44% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 74.4%±25.1Highest NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
52.2%±50.9 NH: 48.2% |
| Canaan and Windham 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% NH: 7.2% |
2%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.3%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
87.5% NH: 72.8% |
93.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1996Highest 17 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 12% above NH |
27 minLowest about the NH average |
31 minHighest 15% above NH |
| Work from home | 14.9%±6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4.4 NH: 16.8% |
| Bow and Windham 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 | #13 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Mascoma Valley Regional School District | Bow School District | Windham School District |
| High school in town | Mascoma Valley Regional High School | Bow High School | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.3Lowest |
12.8Highest |
12.8Highest |
| 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.