Compare towns
Canaan vs Stowe vs Jaffrey
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 most renters (22.7% rent).
Stowe has grown the fastest since 2010 (+21.1%).
Jaffrey has the most homeowners (81.8%).
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 | Stowe | Jaffrey |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,811Lowest |
5,285 |
5,448Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+21.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.4±3.7 14% above U.S. |
46.3±7.6Highest 19% above U.S. |
42.9±3.9Lowest 10% above U.S. |
| Stowe 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% |
22.5%±4.6 U.S.: 22% |
23.1%±5.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Jaffrey and Stowe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.1%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Stowe 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% |
66.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
31.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.6%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Canaan and Jaffrey 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 about the U.S. average |
$93,618±$33kHighest 16% above U.S. |
$92,330±$18k 14% above U.S. |
| Stowe and Jaffrey 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. |
$647,800±$157kHighest 95% above U.S. |
$245,500±$27kLowest 26% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,140±$90 19% below U.S. |
$1,458±$242Highest 3% above U.S. |
$962±$202Lowest 32% below U.S. |
| Stowe and Canaan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,985Lowest 92% above U.S. |
$7,161Highest 130% above U.S. |
$6,196 99% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 74.4%±25.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
24.5%±15.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.7%±23 U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
9.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
81.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
25 min 7% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 14.9%±6 U.S.: 15.1% |
24.4%±8.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.5%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Stowe 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 | — | #87 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Mascoma Valley Regional School District | Stowe Town School District | Jaffrey-Rindge Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | Mascoma Valley Regional High School | Stowe High School | Conant Middle High School (H) |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.3Lowest |
11.3 |
21.3Highest |
| 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.