Compare towns
Canterbury vs Boscawen vs Northfield vs Sutton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Canterbury has the most people working from home (21.6%).
Boscawen has the most affordable homes ($287k median).
Northfield has the shortest commute (26 min average).
Sutton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.7%).
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 | Canterbury | Boscawen | Northfield | Sutton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,353 |
4,044 |
4,971Highest |
2,239Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.6% NH: +4.6% |
+0.8%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+0.9% NH: +4.6% |
+7.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 48.6±3.8Highest 12% above NH |
46±4.2 6% above NH |
42.6±5.1Lowest about the NH average |
48.1±4.1 11% above NH |
| Canterbury and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.4%±4.4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
18.1%±4.5 NH: 18.2% |
20.3%±4.9 NH: 18.2% |
20.5%±3.8Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Sutton and Northfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.9%±3.3 NH: 20.1% |
25.2%±5.3Highest NH: 20.1% |
17.2%±3.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
21.6%±5.9 NH: 20.1% |
| Boscawen and Canterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
20.5%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
23.7% NH: 40.6% |
44.3% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.8%±3Highest NH: 6% |
2.3%±1.9Lowest NH: 6% |
5.1%±2.5 NH: 6% |
4.9%±3.6 NH: 6% |
| Canterbury and Northfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $129,333±$37k 31% above NH |
$77,328±$27kLowest 22% below NH |
$92,917±$15k 6% below NH |
$130,313±$31kHighest 32% above NH |
| Sutton and Canterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $443,700±$21kHighest 10% above NH |
$286,500±$23kLowest 29% below NH |
$288,500±$33k 28% below NH |
$362,600±$16k 10% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,136±$233Highest 43% above NH |
$1,265±$307 15% below NH |
$1,076±$182Lowest 28% below NH |
$1,656±$614 11% above NH |
| Canterbury and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,421 11% above NH |
$6,549 about the NH average |
$5,097Lowest 24% below NH |
$7,652Highest 15% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 71.7%±48.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
41.2%±21 NH: 48.2% |
24.1%±14.1Lowest NH: 48.2% |
27.6%±47.2 NH: 48.2% |
| Canterbury and Boscawen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.4% NH: 7.2% |
17%Highest NH: 7.2% |
8.1% NH: 7.2% |
4.8%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.7% NH: 72.8% |
75.3% NH: 72.8% |
71.6%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
95.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 3 yrs newer than NH |
1978 1 yr older than NH |
1979 same as NH |
1971Lowest 8 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 22% above NH |
28 min 4% above NH |
26 minLowest 4% below NH |
29 min 10% above NH |
| Work from home | 21.6%±7.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
9.9%±6.1 NH: 16.8% |
6.9%±3.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
14.8%±5.6 NH: 16.8% |
| Canterbury and Sutton 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 | — | #51 of 120 in NH | #109 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Shaker Regional School District | Merrimack Valley School District | Winnisquam Regional School District | Kearsarge Regional School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | Kearsarge Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 10.4 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.