Town · New Hampshire
Canaan, New Hampshire
Canaan, town, in Grafton County, New Hampshire. Canaan had 3,833 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 1.0% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 3,794 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 3,811 (±18). GEOID 3300908980.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
3,833
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 3,794 · ACS 2020-2024: 3,811 ±18
Median household income
$81,583
±$6,298 (90% margin)
New Hampshire: $99,031
Median home value
$254,000
±$25,693 (90% margin)
New Hampshire: $402,500
Median gross rent
$1,140
±$90 (90% margin)
New Hampshire: $1,491
Where is Canaan and what county is it in?
Canaan is a town in Grafton County, New Hampshire. It covers 53.4 square miles of land, 71 residents per square mile in 2020.
One place lies inside Canaan: Canaan (CDP, 442 in 2020).
Canaan is in the Lebanon-Claremont, NH-VT micropolitan statistical area, which takes in 4 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Canaan is the same area as Census Tract 9614 of Grafton County: the tract's figures are Canaan's own.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Canaan, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 3,833 people lived in Canaan on July 1, 2025, up 1.0% since 2020, slower than New Hampshire (+2.7%). The 2020 Census counted 3,794 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 3,811 (±18).
| Measure | Canaan | Grafton County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 3,811±18 | 92,120 | −109 |
| Households | 1,610±116 | 37,107 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.27±0.16 | 2.29 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 2,021±156 | 51,920 | no clear change |
Canaan's population since 2000
From 3,319 in 2000 to 3,833 in 2025: up 15.5%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Canaan as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Canaan?
The median resident of Canaan is 44.4 years old; 14.7% are under 18 and 19.1% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 93.2%, then non-Hispanic residents of two or more races at 6.1%.
| Measure | Canaan | Grafton County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 44.4±3.7 | 44.1 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 14.7%±2.8 pts | 15.6% | – |
| 65 years and over | 19.1%±3.7 pts | 23.0% | – |
| Male | 47.3%±3.7 pts | 49.6% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 0.0%±0.9 pts | 2.9% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 93.2%±3.9 pts | 87.5% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±0.9 pts | 1.1% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.5%±0.6 pts | 3.5% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±0.9 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±0.9 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 6.1%±3.8 pts | 4.4% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.2%±0.4 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 1.7%±1.3 pts | 5.6% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 3.4%±2.5 pts | 6.2% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 4.5%±1.8 pts | 7.2% | – |
| With a disability | 16.8%±5.6 pts | 14.0% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 2.3%±1.3 pts | 5.4% | −10.2 pts |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 90.6%±4.2 pts | 94.7% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 28.2%±6.6 pts | 46.7% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 11.2%±4.4 pts | 24.5% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 84.9%±5.7 pts | 86.8% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 3.6%±2.5 pts | 6.4% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Canaan earn?
Half of Canaan's 1,610 households earn less than $81,583 a year (±$6,298), against $88,261 in Grafton County and $99,031 in New Hampshire. In 2015-2019 it was $94,979 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 13.6% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Canaan | Grafton County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $81,583±$6,298 | $88,261 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $95,341±$10,752 | $125,563 | – |
| Per capita income | $41,503±$3,890 | $52,790 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 13.6%±5.1 pts | 10.4% | +9.8 pts |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 4.4%±4.1 pts | 10.8% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 10.7%±6.4 pts | 6.4% | – |
| Households with a computer | 95.3%±3.3 pts | 95.2% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 90.4%±6.4 pts | 90.3% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Canaan?
Owners occupy 77.3% of Canaan's occupied homes and renters 22.7%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $254,000 by its owner (±$25,693). The median renter pays $1,140 a month including utilities, and 74.4% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Canaan | Grafton County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $254,000±$25,693 | $344,500 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $1,140±$90 | $1,301 | −$210 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 74.4%±16.6 pts | 36.9% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,916±$169 | $2,070 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 77.3%±8.2 pts | 71.3% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 22.7%±8.2 pts | 28.7% | – |
| Housing units | 2,021±156 | 51,920 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0%±2.8 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 16.9%±17.3 pts | 4.8% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 66.9%±7.2 pts | 61.4% | – |
| Mobile homes | 20.0%±6.9 pts | 7.2% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.5%±0.7 pts | 1.5% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 10.1%±5.0 pts | 5.9% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 19.4%±6.3 pts | 20.2% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 5.3%±3.8 pts | 6.3% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Canaan building?
Builders took permits for 29 new housing units in Canaan in 2025 (14 in single-family houses), 7.6 per 1,000 residents against 3.6 across New Hampshire.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Canaan work and get to work?
75.8% of Canaan's workers drive alone and 14.9% work from home. The average trip to work takes 30.0 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 9.6%.
| Measure | Canaan | Grafton County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 67.1%±6.2 pts | 60.5% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 9.6%±3.9 pts | 3.2% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 75.8%±7.9 pts | 67.1% | – |
| Carpooled | 6.1%±4.0 pts | 8.6% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.4%±0.6 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Walked | 2.5%±3.2 pts | 4.4% | – |
| Worked from home | 14.9%±6.2 pts | 17.2% | +11.7 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 30.0 min±4.2 | 22.2 min | +6.0 min |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Canaan?
1 census tract lies mostly in Canaan (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9614Grafton County | 3,811 | $81,583 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Canaan) · Census block assignment files
How does Canaan compare with other places in New Hampshire?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Canaan is the 2,919th-most populous of the 16,079 U.S. towns and townships that have one and the 88th-most populous of 221 in New Hampshire.
Canaan ranks 165th of 235 places in New Hampshire with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 88th | 221 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 142nd | 187 |
| Residents per square mile | 178th | 241 |
| Median household income | 165th | 235 |
| Per capita income | 176th | 240 |
| Median home value | 199th | 239 |
| Median gross rent | 152nd | 221 |
| Poverty rate | 25th | 160 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 181st | 239 |
| Median age | 141st | 239 |
| Owner-occupied share | 136th | 241 |
| Work from home | 114th | 214 |
| Travel time to work | 91st | 241 |
Canaan's figures with every place in New Hampshire (CSV)
Every place in New Hampshire, sortable · Compare Canaan with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Canaan?
16 of the 57 figures for Canaan on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Canaan are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' school search.