Compare towns
Canaan vs Orford vs Boscawen
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%).
Orford has the highest household income ($93k).
Boscawen has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.8%).
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 | Orford | Boscawen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,811 |
1,295Lowest |
4,044Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
0% NH: +4.6% |
+0.8%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 44.4±3.7Lowest about the NH average |
48.9±3.3Highest 13% above NH |
46±4.2 6% above NH |
| Orford and Boscawen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.7%±4.6 NH: 18.2% |
12.3%±3.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
18.1%±4.5Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Boscawen 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 NH: 20.1% |
25.5%±4.2Highest NH: 20.1% |
25.2%±5.3 NH: 20.1% |
| Orford and Boscawen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.2% NH: 40.6% |
44%Highest NH: 40.6% |
20.5%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7%±2.5Highest NH: 6% |
5%±2.1 NH: 6% |
2.3%±1.9Lowest NH: 6% |
| Canaan and Orford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $81,583±$6k 18% below NH |
$92,571±$24kHighest 7% below NH |
$77,328±$27kLowest 22% below NH |
| Orford and Canaan 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 |
$271,900±$25k 32% below NH |
$286,500±$23kHighest 29% below NH |
| Boscawen and Orford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,140±$90Lowest 24% below NH |
$1,263±$686 15% below NH |
$1,265±$307Highest 15% below NH |
| Boscawen and Orford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,985 10% below NH |
$5,836Lowest 12% below NH |
$6,549Highest about the NH average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 74.4%±25.1Highest NH: 48.2% |
37.8%±10.7Lowest NH: 48.2% |
41.2%±21 NH: 48.2% |
| Canaan and Boscawen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.6% NH: 7.2% |
5.8%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
17%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
75.5% NH: 72.8% |
75.3%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 4 yrs older than NH |
1971Lowest 8 yrs older than NH |
1978Highest 1 yr older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 12% above NH |
26 minLowest 4% below NH |
28 min 4% above NH |
| Work from home | 14.9%±6Highest NH: 16.8% |
10.8%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
9.9%±6.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Canaan and Orford 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 | — | #51 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Mascoma Valley Regional School District | Rivendell Interstate School District | Merrimack Valley School District |
| High school in town | Mascoma Valley Regional High School | Rivendell Academy | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.3Highest |
9.5Lowest |
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| 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.