Compare towns

Canaan vs Madbury vs Jaffrey

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%).
Madbury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.3%).
Jaffrey has the most affordable homes ($246k median).

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.

MeasureCanaanMadburyJaffrey
People
Population
3,811
2,203Lowest
5,448Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
-2.9%Lowest
NH: +4.6%
+8.3%Highest
NH: +4.6%
-2.5%
NH: +4.6%
Median age
44.4±3.7Highest
about the NH average
37.7±2.1Lowest
13% below NH
42.9±3.9
about the NH average
Canaan and Jaffrey 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%
29%±5.9Highest
NH: 18.2%
23.1%±5.1
NH: 18.2%
Madbury and Jaffrey 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%
14.3%±2.6Lowest
NH: 20.1%
18.5%±3.8
NH: 20.1%
Canaan and Jaffrey 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%
52.6%Highest
NH: 40.6%
31.2%
NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
7%±2.5Highest
NH: 6%
3.4%±1.8
NH: 6%
3.1%±2.4Lowest
NH: 6%
Canaan and Madbury 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
$148,365±$30kHighest
50% above NH
$92,330±$18k
7% below NH
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$254,000±$26k
37% below NH
$476,900±$31kHighest
18% above NH
$245,500±$27kLowest
39% below NH
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,140±$90
24% below NH
$1,574±$759Highest
6% above NH
$962±$202Lowest
35% below NH
Madbury and Canaan 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
$10,000+Highest
at least 50% above NH
$6,196
7% below NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
74.4%±25.1Highest
NH: 48.2%
16.7%±15.2Lowest
NH: 48.2%
45.7%±23
NH: 48.2%
Canaan and Jaffrey 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%
4.9%
NH: 7.2%
3.8%Lowest
NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
77.3%Lowest
NH: 72.8%
82.9%Highest
NH: 72.8%
81.8%
NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year
1975
4 yrs older than NH
1984Highest
5 yrs newer than NH
1973Lowest
6 yrs older than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
30 minHighest
12% above NH
25 min
5% below NH
25 minLowest
8% below NH
Work from home
14.9%±6Highest
NH: 16.8%
14%±3.6
NH: 16.8%
7.5%±4.2Lowest
NH: 16.8%
Canaan and Madbury 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 — #87 of 120 in NH
School district Mascoma Valley Regional School District Oyster River Coop School District Jaffrey-Rindge Cooperative School District
High school in town Mascoma Valley Regional High School None in town Conant Middle High School (H)
Students per teacherat that high school
10.3Lowest
—
21.3Highest
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.