Compare towns
Dorchester vs Canaan vs Brookfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dorchester has the most affordable homes ($140k median).
Canaan has the most kids (14.7% under 18).
Brookfield has the most expensive homes ($428k median).
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 | Dorchester | Canaan | Brookfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 410Lowest |
3,811Highest |
567 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -2.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+6%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 56±10.5 29% above NH |
44.4±3.7Lowest about the NH average |
58.1±9.7Highest 34% above NH |
| Brookfield and Dorchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 11.2%±4.4 NH: 18.2% |
14.7%±4.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
8.6%±4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Canaan and Dorchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 39.8%±15.5Highest NH: 20.1% |
19.1%±4.2Lowest NH: 20.1% |
38.4%±3.4 NH: 20.1% |
| Dorchester and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.8% NH: 40.6% |
28.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
36.8%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.5%±3.1Lowest NH: 6% |
7%±2.5Highest NH: 6% |
5.5%±5 NH: 6% |
| Canaan and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | — | $81,583±$6kHighest 18% below NH |
$81,406±$31kLowest 18% below NH |
| Canaan and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $139,600±$133kLowest 65% below NH |
$254,000±$26k 37% below NH |
$428,000±$61kHighest 6% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,140±$90 24% below NH |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,779Lowest 43% below NH |
$5,985Highest 10% below NH |
$5,926 11% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest NH: 48.2% |
74.4%±25.1Highest NH: 48.2% |
— |
| Canaan and Dorchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 18.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
13.6% NH: 7.2% |
3.9%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.3% NH: 72.8% |
77.3%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
98.4%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 6 yrs older than NH |
1975Highest 4 yrs older than NH |
1975Highest 4 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 40 minHighest 50% above NH |
30 min 12% above NH |
27 minLowest about the NH average |
| Work from home | 12.2%±8.8Lowest NH: 16.8% |
14.9%±6Highest NH: 16.8% |
13.7%±6.8 NH: 16.8% |
| Canaan and Brookfield 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 | — | #83 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | — | Mascoma Valley Regional School District | — |
| High school in town | — | Mascoma Valley Regional High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.3 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.