Compare towns
Colebrook vs Whitefield vs Canaan
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Colebrook has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Whitefield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8%).
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.
| Measure | Colebrook | Whitefield | Canaan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,988 |
2,516Highest |
810Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -9.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-7.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.7±4.9Highest 38% above U.S. |
51.4±4.6Lowest 32% above U.S. |
53.2±4.6 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% |
14.3%±4.6 U.S.: 22% |
15.8%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Canaan and Whitefield 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% |
28.6%±5.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
28.5%±5.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Whitefield and Canaan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 16.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
26.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
13.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Whitefield and Colebrook 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. |
$63,125±$12kHighest 22% below U.S. |
$55,606±$4k 31% below U.S. |
| Whitefield and Canaan 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. |
$240,400±$22kHighest 28% below U.S. |
$201,900±$46k 39% below U.S. |
| Whitefield and Canaan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $750±$238Lowest 47% below U.S. |
$1,077±$160Highest 24% below U.S. |
— |
| Whitefield and Colebrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,350 39% above U.S. |
$4,394Highest 41% above U.S. |
$3,389Lowest 9% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.3%±19.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.9%±15.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
17.2%±63.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Colebrook and Whitefield 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% |
11% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
62.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
91.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Highest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 20% below U.S. |
26 minHighest about the U.S. average |
20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 5.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.2%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.4%±6.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Canaan and Whitefield 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 | — | #86 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Colebrook School District | White Mountains Regional School District | Canaan School District |
| High school in town | Colebrook Academy and Elementary School (H) | White Mountains Regional High School | Canaan High School CTE Program |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.4Highest |
7.9Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.

