Compare towns
Hartford vs Canaan vs Bow
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hartford has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Canaan has the most affordable homes ($254k median).
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
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 | Hartford | Canaan | Bow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,736Highest |
3,811Lowest |
8,335 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.2±3.9 11% above U.S. |
44.4±3.7Highest 14% above U.S. |
41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
| Canaan and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18%±3 U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 22.5%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.1%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hartford and Canaan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
28.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
7%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Canaan and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $78,125±$7kLowest 3% below U.S. |
$81,583±$6k about the U.S. average |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $304,500±$26k 8% below U.S. |
$254,000±$26kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,218±$118 14% below U.S. |
$1,140±$90Lowest 19% below U.S. |
$1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,773Lowest 85% above U.S. |
$5,985 92% above U.S. |
$9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.6%±12.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
74.4%±25.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Canaan and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
13.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 13.9%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.9%±6 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bow and Canaan 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 | #34 of 70 in VT | #83 of 120 in NH | #26 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Hartford School District | Mascoma Valley Regional School District | Bow School District |
| High school in town | Hartford High School | Mascoma Valley Regional High School | Bow High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.6Lowest |
10.3 |
12.8Highest |
| 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.