Town · New Hampshire

Canterbury, New Hampshire

Canterbury, town, in Merrimack County, New Hampshire. Canterbury had 2,463 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 3.4% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 2,389 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 2,353 (±253). GEOID 3301309860.

Residents, July 2025 estimate

2,463

Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 2,389 · ACS 2020-2024: 2,353 ±253

Median household income

$129,333

±$36,907 (90% margin)
New Hampshire: $99,031

Median home value

$443,700

±$20,620 (90% margin)
New Hampshire: $402,500

Median gross rent

$2,136

±$233 (90% margin)
New Hampshire: $1,491

Where is Canterbury and what county is it in?

Canterbury is a town in Merrimack County, New Hampshire. It covers 43.9 square miles of land, 54 residents per square mile in 2020.

Canterbury is in the Concord, NH micropolitan statistical area (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).

Canterbury is the same area as Census Tract 370 of Merrimack County: the tract's figures are Canterbury's own.

Canterbury (marked with a dot) in Merrimack County, New Hampshire. Boundaries: Census Bureau 2024.

Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files

How many people live in Canterbury, and is it growing?

The Census Bureau estimates that 2,463 people lived in Canterbury on July 1, 2025, up 3.4% since 2020, faster than New Hampshire (+2.7%). The 2020 Census counted 2,389 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 2,353 (±253).

  • July 2020→2021 +38 (2,426)
  • 2021→2022 +19 (2,445)
  • 2022→2023 +4 (2,449)
  • 2023→2024 +10 (2,459)
  • 2024→2025 +4 (2,463)
ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (counts) with the change from 2015-2019
MeasureCanterburyMerrimack CountyNew HampshireChange since 2015-2019
Total population2,353±253155,9671,394,868no clear change
Households946±9760,901555,822no clear change
Average household size2.47±0.212.462.44no clear change
Housing units1,009±10066,497648,472no clear change

Canterbury's population since 2000

From 1,979 in 2000 to 2,463 in 2025: up 24.5%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Canterbury 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.

  • 2000 Census 1,979
  • 2005 (estimate) 2,230
  • 2010 Census 2,352
  • 2015 (estimate) 2,416
  • 2020 Census 2,389
  • 2025 (estimate) 2,463

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 Canterbury?

The median resident of Canterbury is 48.6 years old; 17.4% are under 18 and 22.9% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 84.6%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 9.8%. 3.7% of residents were born outside the United States.

Age, origin, education and moves, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates. Race groups are non-Hispanic; Hispanic includes any race.
MeasureCanterburyMerrimack CountyNew HampshireChange since 2015-2019
Median age48.6±3.842.943.3no clear change
Under 18 years17.4%±2.9 pts18.4%18.2%–
65 years and over22.9%±4.5 pts19.9%20.1%–
Male46.5%±4.7 pts49.8%49.9%–
Hispanic or Latino (any race)9.8%±7.6 pts2.7%4.7%–
White alone, not Hispanic84.6%±8.8 pts90.1%86.9%no clear change
Black or African American alone, not Hispanic0.6%±0.8 pts1.6%1.3%–
Asian alone, not Hispanic0.2%±0.3 pts1.5%2.6%–
American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic0.1%±0.1 pts0.1%0.1%–
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic0.0%±1.5 pts0.1%0.0%–
Two or more races, not Hispanic4.7%±4.8 pts3.6%4.0%–
Some other race alone, not Hispanic0.0%±1.5 pts0.4%0.4%–
Born outside the United States3.7%±1.9 pts4.4%6.1%no clear change
Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+)2.1%±1.2 pts5.3%7.9%–
Civilian veterans (age 18+)6.7%±2.3 pts8.1%7.6%–
With a disability8.3%±2.9 pts14.7%13.3%–
No health insurance coverage4.0%±3.3 pts5.1%5.3%–
High school graduate or higher (age 25+)95.3%±4.0 pts94.5%94.4%–
Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+)49.3%±6.7 pts38.9%40.6%no clear change
Graduate or professional degree (age 25+)22.4%±4.6 pts16.2%16.1%–
Lived in the same house a year earlier95.9%±2.5 pts90.1%89.3%–
Moved from another state in the past year0.6%±0.6 pts2.7%3.6%–

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 Canterbury earn?

Half of Canterbury's 946 households earn less than $129,333 a year (±$36,907), against $97,004 in Merrimack County and $99,031 in New Hampshire. In 2015-2019 it was $103,378 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 5.4% of residents live below the poverty line.

Income and poverty in 2024 dollars, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates; 2015-2019 dollars adjusted with the R-CPI-U-RS
MeasureCanterburyMerrimack CountyNew HampshireChange since 2015-2019
Median household income$129,333±$36,907$97,004$99,031no clear change
Mean household income$170,673±$22,145$123,673$128,322–
Per capita income$65,633±$8,837$49,044$52,798+$14,810
People below the poverty line5.4%±3.1 pts7.6%7.2%no clear change
Children under 18 below the poverty line13.3%±12.7 pts7.7%7.9%–
Households receiving SNAP0.7%±1.3 pts7.0%6.1%–
Households with a computer97.3%±1.9 pts96.1%96.2%–
Households with a broadband subscription94.3%±3.8 pts92.8%92.9%–

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 Canterbury?

Owners occupy 93.7% of Canterbury's occupied homes and renters 6.3%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $443,700 by its owner (±$20,620). The median renter pays $2,136 a month including utilities, and 71.7% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.

Housing, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates. Home values are owners' own estimates.
MeasureCanterburyMerrimack CountyNew HampshireChange since 2015-2019
Median home value (owner-occupied)$443,700±$20,620$367,600$402,500+$118,058
Median gross rent$2,136±$233$1,360$1,491+$1,297
Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent71.7%±30.3 pts36.6%38.4%no clear change
Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage$2,227±$201$2,324$2,367–
Owner-occupied homes93.7%±3.5 pts73.5%72.8%no clear change
Renter-occupied homes6.3%±3.5 pts26.5%27.2%–
Housing units1,009±10066,497648,472no clear change
Homeowner vacancy rate0.4%±0.7 pts0.2%0.4%–
Rental vacancy rate0.0%±39.7 pts4.5%4.0%–
Single-family detached homes93.6%±3.5 pts63.1%63.3%–
Mobile homes2.4%±3.2 pts6.8%5.2%–
Built 2020 or later0.0%±3.4 pts1.2%1.3%–
Built 2010 to 20194.4%±2.5 pts6.5%6.6%–
Built 1939 or earlier13.5%±5.5 pts24.3%18.6%–
Households with no vehicle0.7%±0.8 pts4.2%4.6%–

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 Canterbury building?

Builders took permits for 8 new housing units in Canterbury in 2025 (8 in single-family houses), 3.2 per 1,000 residents against 3.6 across New Hampshire.

  • 2019 8 units
  • 2020 13 units
  • 2021 9 units
  • 2022 4 units
  • 2023 7 units
  • 2024 3 units
  • 2025 8 units

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 Canterbury work and get to work?

73.2% of Canterbury's workers drive alone and 21.6% work from home. The average trip to work takes 32.5 minutes.

Work and commuting, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (workers 16 and over)
MeasureCanterburyMerrimack CountyNew HampshireChange since 2015-2019
In the labor force (age 16+)64.8%±6.8 pts64.5%66.3%–
Unemployment rate3.0%±2.5 pts3.1%3.3%–
Drove alone to work73.2%±6.9 pts73.1%72.0%–
Carpooled0.4%±0.6 pts8.2%7.0%–
Public transportation0.4%±0.6 pts0.2%0.5%–
Walked2.1%±2.7 pts2.8%2.3%–
Worked from home21.6%±6.9 pts14.4%16.8%+13.9 pts
Mean travel time to work32.5 min±3.426.6 min26.7 minno clear change

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 Canterbury?

1 census tract lies mostly in Canterbury (2020 census blocks).

Census tracts in Canterbury, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
TractResidents, 2020-2024Median household incomeMedian home valueShare of tract in Canterbury
Tract 370Merrimack County2,353 $129,333 $443,700100%

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 Canterbury) · Census block assignment files

How does Canterbury compare with other places in New Hampshire?

By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Canterbury is the 4,146th-most populous of the 16,079 U.S. towns and townships that have one and the 114th-most populous of 221 in New Hampshire.

Canterbury ranks 39th of 235 places in New Hampshire with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.

Canterbury's rank in New Hampshire (1 = highest): by population among the state's towns and townships with a 2025 estimate; by the other measures among places of 1,000+ residents with a reliable estimate
MeasureRankOf
Population, July 2025 estimate114th221
Growth 2020-2025 (PEP)65th187
Residents per square mile202nd241
Median household income39th235
Per capita income31st240
Median home value63rd239
Median gross rent13th221
Poverty rate118th160
Bachelor's degree or higher49th239
Median age85th239
Owner-occupied share32nd241
Work from home50th214
Travel time to work58th241

Canterbury's figures with every place in New Hampshire (CSV)

Every place in New Hampshire, sortable · Compare Canterbury 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 Canterbury?

20 of the 57 figures for Canterbury 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 Canterbury 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.