Compare towns
Gorham vs Canaan vs Bristol
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Gorham has the most affordable homes ($162k median).
Canaan has the most people working from home (14.9%).
Bristol has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.2%).
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 | Gorham | Canaan | Bristol |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,682Lowest |
3,811Highest |
3,273 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.3%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
-2.9% NH: +4.6% |
+6.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 53.9±3.6Highest 24% above NH |
44.4±3.7 about the NH average |
42.7±5.7Lowest about the NH average |
| Kids under 18 | 12.5%±3.9Lowest NH: 18.2% |
14.7%±4.6 NH: 18.2% |
24.3%±6.4Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Bristol and Canaan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 31.7%±6.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
19.1%±4.2Lowest NH: 20.1% |
23.2%±4.9 NH: 20.1% |
| Gorham and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
28.2% NH: 40.6% |
35.5%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.7%±2.8 NH: 6% |
7%±2.5Highest NH: 6% |
3.6%±2Lowest NH: 6% |
| Canaan and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $61,275±$7kLowest 38% below NH |
$81,583±$6kHighest 18% below NH |
$78,438±$10k 21% below NH |
| Canaan and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $161,600±$49kLowest 60% below NH |
$254,000±$26k 37% below NH |
$258,300±$63kHighest 36% below NH |
| Bristol and Canaan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $838±$83Lowest 44% below NH |
$1,140±$90 24% below NH |
$1,310±$97Highest 12% below NH |
| Bristol and Canaan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,334 35% below NH |
$5,985Highest 10% below NH |
$4,162Lowest 38% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41%±20.3Lowest NH: 48.2% |
74.4%±25.1Highest NH: 48.2% |
46.3%±14.2 NH: 48.2% |
| Canaan and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.3%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
13.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
10.3% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.6% NH: 72.8% |
77.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
69.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 8 yrs older than NH |
1975 4 yrs older than NH |
1977Highest 2 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 15% below NH |
30 minHighest 12% above NH |
28 min 4% above NH |
| Work from home | 1.7%±1.8Lowest NH: 16.8% |
14.9%±6Highest NH: 16.8% |
11.8%±5.2 NH: 16.8% |
| Canaan and Bristol 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 | #57 of 120 in NH | #83 of 120 in NH | #79 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Gorham Randolph Shelburne Cooperative School District | Mascoma Valley Regional School District | Newfound Area School District |
| High school in town | Gorham High School | Mascoma Valley Regional High School | Newfound Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0Lowest |
10.3 |
11.5Highest |
| 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.