Compare towns
Orange vs Canaan vs Grafton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Orange has the highest household income ($119k).
Canaan has the most renters (22.7% rent).
Grafton has the most kids (21% under 18).
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 | Orange | Canaan | Grafton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 320Lowest |
3,811Highest |
1,354 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -2.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+3.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.3±9.1Lowest 5% below NH |
44.4±3.7Highest about the NH average |
43.1±10.6 about the NH average |
| Canaan and Grafton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.6%±5.6 NH: 18.2% |
14.7%±4.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
21%±4.9Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Grafton and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20%±5 NH: 20.1% |
19.1%±4.2Lowest NH: 20.1% |
21%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Grafton and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
28.2% NH: 40.6% |
24.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±3.7 NH: 6% |
7%±2.5Highest NH: 6% |
4.5%±2.8Lowest NH: 6% |
| Canaan and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $118,750±$39kHighest 20% above NH |
$81,583±$6k 18% below NH |
$81,563±$22kLowest 18% below NH |
| Orange and Canaan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $302,600±$35kHighest 25% below NH |
$254,000±$26kLowest 37% below NH |
$267,300±$23k 34% below NH |
| Orange and Grafton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,140±$90Lowest 24% below NH |
$1,243±$163Highest 17% below NH |
| Grafton and Canaan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,132Lowest 23% below NH |
$5,985Highest 10% below NH |
$5,239 21% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest NH: 48.2% |
74.4%±25.1Highest NH: 48.2% |
32.1%±34.1 NH: 48.2% |
| Canaan and Grafton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.4% NH: 7.2% |
13.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
7.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
77.3%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
83.1% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 7 yrs newer than NH |
1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
1983 4 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 5% above NH |
30 min 12% above NH |
43 minHighest 62% above NH |
| Work from home | 20.8%±8.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
14.9%±6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±6.8 NH: 16.8% |
| Orange and Grafton 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.