Compare towns
Canaan vs Weare vs Orange
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 renters (22.7% rent).
Weare has the most expensive homes ($396k median).
Orange has the youngest population (median age 41.3).
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 | Weare | Orange |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,811 |
9,170Highest |
320Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+3.5%Highest NH: +4.6% |
— |
| Median age | 44.4±3.7 about the NH average |
45.6±4Highest 5% above NH |
41.3±9.1Lowest 5% below NH |
| Weare 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 NH: 18.2% |
22.4%±4Highest NH: 18.2% |
20.6%±5.6 NH: 18.2% |
| Weare and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.1%±4.2 NH: 20.1% |
13.5%±3Lowest NH: 20.1% |
20%±5Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Orange 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 NH: 40.6% |
41.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
37.2% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7%±2.5Highest NH: 6% |
4.3%±1.4Lowest NH: 6% |
4.7%±3.7 NH: 6% |
| Canaan and Orange 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 |
$118,271±$17k 19% above NH |
$118,750±$39kHighest 20% above NH |
| Orange and Weare 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 |
$396,300±$26kHighest about the NH average |
$302,600±$35k 25% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,140±$90Lowest 24% below NH |
$1,541±$214Highest 3% above NH |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,985 10% below NH |
$6,272Highest 6% below NH |
$5,132Lowest 23% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 74.4%±25.1Highest NH: 48.2% |
62.2%±24.6 NH: 48.2% |
0%±100Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Canaan and Weare 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% |
1.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
9.4% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.3%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
93.5% NH: 72.8% |
97.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
1986Highest 7 yrs newer than NH |
1986Highest 7 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 12% above NH |
36 minHighest 34% above NH |
28 minLowest 5% above NH |
| Work from home | 14.9%±6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
22.8%±4.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
20.8%±8.9 NH: 16.8% |
| Weare and Orange 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 | #84 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Mascoma Valley Regional School District | John Stark Regional School District · Weare School District | — |
| High school in town | Mascoma Valley Regional High School | John Stark Regional High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.3Lowest |
11.4Highest |
— |
| 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.