Compare towns
Canaan vs Newbury vs Lancaster
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Canaan has the highest household income ($82k).
Newbury has the most renters (32.2% rent).
Lancaster has the shortest commute (23 min average).
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 | Newbury | Lancaster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,811Highest |
393Lowest |
3,216 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | -8.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.4±3.7Lowest 14% above U.S. |
48.3±14Highest 24% above U.S. |
45.5±6.9 17% above U.S. |
| Newbury and Lancaster 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% |
18.8%±7.4 U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±6.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Lancaster and Newbury 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% |
27.5%±9.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
28.4%±5.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Lancaster and Newbury 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% |
38.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
30.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.9%±6.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Canaan and Newbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $81,583±$6kHighest about the U.S. average |
$76,250±$23k 6% below U.S. |
$68,911±$23kLowest 15% below U.S. |
| Canaan and Newbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $254,000±$26k 24% below U.S. |
$275,900±$28kHighest 17% below U.S. |
$215,700±$24kLowest 35% below U.S. |
| Newbury and Canaan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,140±$90 19% below U.S. |
$1,259±$401Highest 11% below U.S. |
$1,019±$263Lowest 28% below U.S. |
| Newbury and Canaan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,985Highest 92% above U.S. |
$3,943Lowest 26% above U.S. |
$4,226 35% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 74.4%±25.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
51%±25.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
36.1%±17Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Canaan and Newbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
16.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1942 38 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 14% above U.S. |
30 minHighest 15% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 13% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 14.9%±6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.3%±8.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.5%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Canaan and Newbury 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 | — | #107 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Mascoma Valley Regional School District | — | White Mountains Regional School District |
| 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 | 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.