What stands out worked out from the figures below

Canterbury has the most affordable homes ($444k median).

Brookline has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13%).

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	Canterbury	Brookline
People
Population	2,353Lowest	5,736Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+1.6%Lowest NH: +4.6%	+13%Highest NH: +4.6%
Median age	48.6±3.8Highest 12% above NH	41.2±1.5Lowest 5% below NH
Kids under 18	17.4%±4.4Lowest NH: 18.2%	26.7%±4Highest NH: 18.2%
Age 65+	22.9%±3.3Highest NH: 20.1%	11.4%±2.1Lowest NH: 20.1%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	49.3%Lowest NH: 40.6%	57.7%Highest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.8%±3Highest NH: 6%	6.3%±3.2Lowest NH: 6%
	Canterbury and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$129,333±$37kLowest 31% above NH	$171,046±$4kHighest 73% above NH
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$443,700±$21kLowest 10% above NH	$544,400±$38kHighest 35% above NH
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,136±$233Lowest 43% above NH	$2,500±$1kHighest 68% above NH
	Brookline and Canterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,421Lowest 11% above NH	$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	71.7%±48.3Highest NH: 48.2%	23.8%±43.5Lowest NH: 48.2%
	Canterbury and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5.4%Highest NH: 7.2%	0.6%Lowest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	93.7%Lowest NH: 72.8%	95.1%Highest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1982Lowest 3 yrs newer than NH	1993Highest 14 yrs newer than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minLowest 22% above NH	33 minHighest 25% above NH
Work from home	21.6%±7.4Lowest NH: 16.8%	24.7%±5.8Highest NH: 16.8%
	Brookline and Canterbury 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	—	#23 of 120 in NH
School district	Shaker Regional School District	Brookline School District
High school in town	None in town	None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.