What stands out worked out from the figures below

Colebrook has the most renters (30.6% rent).

Canaan has the most people working from home (15.4%).

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	Colebrook	Canaan
People
Population	1,988Highest	810Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-9.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	-7.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	53.7±4.9Highest 38% above U.S.	53.2±4.6Lowest 37% above U.S.
	Colebrook and Canaan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	13.2%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22%	15.8%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22%
	Canaan and Colebrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	27.8%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	28.5%±5.9Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Canaan and Colebrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	16.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	13.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.4%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4%	3%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Colebrook and Canaan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$51,159±$6kLowest 37% below U.S.	$55,606±$4kHighest 31% below U.S.
	Canaan and Colebrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$192,200±$59kLowest 42% below U.S.	$201,900±$46kHighest 39% below U.S.
	Canaan and Colebrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$750±$238 47% below U.S.	—
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,350Highest 39% above U.S.	$3,389Lowest 9% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	50.3%±19.3Highest U.S.: 51.1%	17.2%±63.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Colebrook and Canaan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	13.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	10.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	69.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	91.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1973Highest 7 yrs older than U.S.	1972Lowest 8 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	21 minHighest 20% below U.S.	20 minLowest 24% below U.S.
Work from home	5.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	15.4%±6.5Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
School district	Colebrook School District	Canaan School District
High school in town	Colebrook Academy and Elementary School (H)	Canaan High School CTE Program
Students per teacherat that high school	8.4	—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.