What stands out worked out from the figures below

Canaan has the most affordable homes ($254k median).

Eliot has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.3%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Canaan	Eliot
People
Population	3,811Lowest	7,146Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-2.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+8.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	44.4±3.7Lowest 14% above U.S.	50.8±5.9Highest 31% above U.S.
	Eliot 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 U.S.: 22%	16.3%±3.9Highest U.S.: 22%
	Eliot and Canaan 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%	27.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Eliot 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	43.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	7%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4%	2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$81,583±$6kLowest about the U.S. average	$101,522±$10kHighest 26% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$254,000±$26kLowest 24% below U.S.	$498,900±$62kHighest 50% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,140±$90Lowest 19% below U.S.	$1,948±$471Highest 38% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,985Highest 92% above U.S.	$4,549Lowest 46% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	74.4%±25.1Highest U.S.: 51.1%	55.1%±20.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Canaan and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	13.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	77.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	79.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S.	1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	30 minHighest 14% above U.S.	23 minLowest 15% below U.S.
Work from home	14.9%±6Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	17.4%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Eliot 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	#19 of 133 in ME
School district	Mascoma Valley Regional School District	RSU 35/MSAD 35
High school in town	Mascoma Valley Regional High School	None in town
Students per teacherat that high school	10.3	—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.