Compare towns
Canaan vs Beecher Falls vs Charleston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Canaan has the most kids (15.8% under 18).
Beecher Falls has the most affordable homes ($98k median).
Charleston has the most people working from home (18.7%).
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 | Beecher Falls | Charleston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 810 |
67Lowest |
936Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.8%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— | -0.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 53.2±4.6Lowest 23% above VT |
57.5±2.6 33% above VT |
58.4±9.3Highest 35% above VT |
| Charleston and Beecher Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.8%±3.5Highest VT: 17.9% |
9%±40.6Lowest VT: 17.9% |
11.2%±4.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Canaan and Charleston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 28.5%±5.9Lowest VT: 21.4% |
32.8%±43.2 VT: 21.4% |
37.7%±8.6Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Charleston and Beecher Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 13.8%Highest VT: 43.8% |
5.2%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
13.6% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±2.3 VT: 7% |
0%±21.1Lowest VT: 7% |
3.7%±2.3Highest VT: 7% |
| Charleston and Canaan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $55,606±$4kHighest 32% below VT |
$26,042±$24kLowest 68% below VT |
$49,286±$17k 39% below VT |
| Canaan and Charleston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $201,900±$46k 36% below VT |
$98,100±$36kLowest 69% below VT |
$238,000±$53kHighest 25% below VT |
| Charleston and Canaan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | — | $979±$444 21% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,389 33% below VT |
$2,438Lowest 52% below VT |
$3,750Highest 26% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 17.2%±63.5Lowest VT: 48.4% |
— | 32.7%±26.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Charleston and Canaan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.4%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
10.4%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
12.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.4% VT: 73.2% |
100%Highest VT: 73.2% |
87.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 4 yrs older than VT |
1950Lowest 26 yrs older than VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 15% below VT |
— | 26 minHighest 12% above VT |
| Work from home | 15.4%±6.5 VT: 16.9% |
0%±27.8Lowest VT: 16.9% |
18.7%±7.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Charleston and Canaan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Canaan School District | — | Charleston School District |
| High school in town | Canaan High School CTE Program | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
VT 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.