Compare towns
Canaan vs Dorchester vs Durham
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 kids (14.7% under 18).
Dorchester has the most affordable homes ($140k median).
Durham has the most expensive homes ($504k median).
Durham is a college town. 55.1% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Dorchester | Durham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,811 |
410Lowest |
15,080Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
— | +5.8%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 44.4±3.7 about the NH average |
56±10.5Highest 29% above NH |
20.8±0.3Lowest 52% below NH |
| Dorchester and Canaan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.7%±4.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
11.2%±4.4 NH: 18.2% |
10.3%±2.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Canaan and Dorchester 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% |
39.8%±15.5Highest NH: 20.1% |
11.5%±1.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
35.8% NH: 40.6% |
75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7%±2.5 NH: 6% |
0.5%±3.1Lowest NH: 6% |
55.1%±3.2Highest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $81,583±$6kLowest 18% below NH |
— | $124,056±$21kHighest 25% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $254,000±$26k 37% below NH |
$139,600±$133kLowest 65% below NH |
$504,300±$41kHighest 25% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,140±$90Lowest 24% below NH |
— | $1,429±$143Highest 4% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,985 10% below NH |
$3,779Lowest 43% below NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 74.4%±25.1Highest NH: 48.2% |
0%±100Lowest NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±16 NH: 48.2% |
| Canaan and Durham 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% |
18.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
15.1% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.3% NH: 72.8% |
96.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
64.4%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 4 yrs older than NH |
1973Lowest 6 yrs older than NH |
1981Highest 2 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 12% above NH |
40 minHighest 50% above NH |
19 minLowest 27% below NH |
| Work from home | 14.9%±6 NH: 16.8% |
12.2%±8.8Lowest NH: 16.8% |
19.4%±3.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Durham 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 | — | #9 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Mascoma Valley Regional School District | — | Oyster River Coop School District |
| High school in town | Mascoma Valley Regional High School | — | Oyster River High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.3Lowest |
— | 12.3Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 51 photos → |
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.