What stands out worked out from the figures below

Canaan has the most homeowners (77.3%).

St. Albans has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.6%).

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	St. Albans
People
Population	3,811Lowest	6,954Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-2.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	-0.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	44.4±3.7Highest 14% above U.S.	38.7±2Lowest about the U.S. average
	Canaan and St. Albans 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%	20.5%±3.7Highest U.S.: 22%
	St. Albans and Canaan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	19.1%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2%	13.9%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Canaan and St. Albans 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%	31.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	7%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4%	2.7%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$81,583±$6kHighest about the U.S. average	$57,980±$7kLowest 28% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$254,000±$26kLowest 24% below U.S.	$263,400±$18kHighest 21% below U.S.
	St. Albans and Canaan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,140±$90Lowest 19% below U.S.	$1,150±$78Highest 19% below U.S.
	St. Albans 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.	$4,436Lowest 42% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	74.4%±25.1Highest U.S.: 51.1%	51.8%±11.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Canaan and St. Albans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	13.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	19.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	77.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	49%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S.	1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	30 minHighest 14% above U.S.	23 minLowest 14% below U.S.
Work from home	14.9%±6Highest U.S.: 15.1%	12.1%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Canaan and St. Albans 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	#46 of 70 in VT
School district	Mascoma Valley Regional School District	Maple Run Unified Union School District #57
High school in town	Mascoma Valley Regional High School	Bellows Free Academy (St. Albans)
Students per teacherat that high school	10.3Lowest	11.4Highest
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.