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Canaan New Hampshire Town Info and Profile
Canaan New Hampshire Community Profile Community Contact Town of Canaan
Mike Samson, Town Administrator
PO Box 38
Canaan, NH 03741
Telephone (603) 523-4501
Fax (603) 523-4526
E-mail townadmin@canaannh.org
Web Site www.canaannh.org

Municipal Office Hours Monday, Wednesday, Friday, 8 am - 4 pm, Tuesday, Thursday, 8 am - 1 pm, Saturday 8 am - 12 noon

County Grafton
Labor Market Area Lebanon NH-VT Micro-NECTA, NH Portion
Tourism Region Dartmouth-Lake Sunapee
Planning Commission Upper Valley Lake Sunapee
Regional Development Grafton County Economic Development Council

Election Districts
US Congress District 2
Executive Council District 1
State Senate District 5
State Representative Grafton County Districts 11, 16

Incorporated: 1761
Origin: First chartered in 1761, the town probably took its name from the hometown of early settlers from Canaan, Connecticut. Not all the grantees became permanent settlers, and a new charter was issued in 1769. According to the Canaan Historical Society, the first train passed through in November 1847 with Daniel Webster on board, and the railroad operations sparked rapid business growth in Canaan Village.
Villages and Place Names: Canaan Center, Canaan Street, West Canaan
Population, Year of the First Census Taken: 504 residents in 1790
Population Trends: Population change for Canaan totaled 2,380 over 52 years, from 1,507 in 1960 to 3,887 in 2012. The largest decennial percent change was a 28 percent increase, which occurred between 1960 and 1970, and also between 1970 and 1980. The 2012 Census estimate for Canaan was 3,887 residents, ranking 97th among New Hampshire's incorporated cities and towns.
Population Density and Land Area, 2010 (US Census Bureau): 73.4 persons per square mile of land area. Canaan contains 53.3 square miles of land area and 1.8 square miles of inland water area.

MUNICIPAL SERVICES
Type of Government Selectmen
Budget: Municipal Appropriations, 2013 $3,658,123
Budget: School Appropriations, 2012 $7,216,201
Zoning Ordinance None
Master Plan 2006
Capitol Improvement Plan Yes
Industrial Plans Reviewed By Planning Board
Boards and Commissions
Elected:Selectmen; Planning; Budget; Library; Cemetery; Trust Funds; Checklist
Appointed:Conservation; Recreation; Historic District; Capital Improvement; Meeting House Preservation; Museum Curators
Public Library Canaan Town

EMERGENCY SERVICES
Police Department Full-time
Fire Department Volunteer
Emergency Medical Service Volunteer
Nearest Hospital(s) Distance Staffed Beds
Dartmouth-Hitchcock Med Ctr, Lebanon 17 miles 388
Alice Peck Day Memorial, Lebanon 15 miles 25

UTILITIES
Electric Supplier NH Electric Coop; National Grid
Natural Gas Supplier None
Water Supplier Canaan Water Department
Sanitation Canaan Sewer Dept
Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant Yes
Solid Waste Disposal
Curbside Trash PickupNone
Pay-As-You-Throw ProgramNo
Recycling ProgramVoluntary
Telephone Company Fairpoint
Cellular Telephone Access Limited
Cable Television Access Yes
Public Access Television Station No
High Speed Internet Service:
BusinessLimited
ResidentialLimited

(NH Dept. of Revenue Adminstration) PROPERTY TAXES
2012 Total Tax Rate (per $1,000 of value) $23.88
2012 Equalization Ratio 90.6
2012 Full Value Tax Rate (per $1,000 of value) $21.83
2012 Percent of Local Assessed Value by Property Type
Residential Land and Buildings83.2%
Commercial Land and Buildings13.7%
Public Utilities, Current Use, and Other3.0%

(ACS 2008-2012) HOUSING
Total Housing Units 1,905
Single-Family Units, Detached or Attached 1,381
Units in Multiple-Family Structures:  
Two to Four Units in Structure 57
Five or More Units in Structure 29
Mobile Homes and Other Housing Units 438
(US Census Bureau) DEMOGRAPHICS
Total Population Community County
2012 3,887 89,181
2010 3,909 89,118
2000 3,320 81,826
1990 3,048 74,998
1980 2,456 65,806
1970 1,923 54,914
 
Demographics, American Community Survey (ACS) 2008-2012
Population by Gender
Male:   2,059 Female:   1,813
Population by Age Group
Under age 5 123
Age 5 to 19 638
Age 20 to 34 585
Age 35 to 54 1,289
Age 55 to 64 630
Age 65 and over 607
Median Age 47 years
Educational Attainment, population 25 years and over
High school graduate or higher 91.1%
Bachelor's degree or higher 24.2%

(ACS 2008-2012) ANNUAL INCOME, 2012
(Inflation Adjusted Dollars)
Per capita income $27,968
Median family income $67,024
Median household income $61,731
Median Earnings, full-time, year-round workers
Male $44,250
Female $38,929
Individuals below the poverty level 7.2%

(NHES - ELMI) LABOR FORCE
Annual Average 2002 2012
Civilian Labor Force 1,920 2,379
Employed 1,876 2,275
Unemployed 44 104
Unemployment Rate 2.3% 4.4%

(NHES - ELMI) EMPLOYMENT & WAGES
Annual Average Covered Employment 2002 2012
Goods Producing Industries
Average Employment 56 61
Average Weekly Wage $452 $838
     
Service Providing Industries
Average Employment 171 324
Average Weekly Wage $497 $673
     
Total Private Industry
Average Employment 227 385
Average Weekly Wage $486 $699
     
Government (Federal, State, and Local)
Average Employment 275 250
Average Weekly Wage $482 $743
     
Total, Private plus Government
Average Employment 502 635
Average Weekly Wage $484 $717
n = indicates that the data does not meet disclosure standards

(NH Dept. of Education) EDUCATION/CHILD CARE FACILITIES
Schools students attend: Grades K-12 are part of Mascoma Valley Regional (Canaan, Dorchester, Enfield, Grafton, Orange) SAU 62
Career Technology Center(s): Hartford Area Career and Technical Center, White River Junction VT Region: 7
Educational Facilities Elementary Middle/Junior High High School Private/Parochial
Number of Schools 1 1 1 1
Grade Levels P K 1-4 5-8 9-12 6-9
Total Enrollment 278 358 390 215
2013 NH Licensed Child Care Facilities (Bureau of Child Care Licensing): Total Facilities: 5 Total Capacity: 143
Nearest Community/Technical College: River Valley
Nearest Colleges or Universities: Dartmouth; Colby-Sawyer; Lebanon

LARGEST BUSINESSES PRODUCT/SERVICE EMPLOYEES ESTABLISHED
Cardigan School Private school 50
Barker Steel Steel fabrication 40 1999
CLE Race track 25
Mitchell Paddles, Inc. Canoe paddles 5 1980
Town of Canaan Municipal services 20 1761
Mascoma Valley Regional School District Education 117

(Distance estimated from city/town hall) TRANSPORTATION
Road Access US Routes 4
State Routes 118
Nearest Interstate, Exit I-89, Exit 17
Distance 10 miles
Railroad No
Public Transportation Advance Transit
 
Nearest Public Use Airport, General Aviation
Lebanon Municipal
Runway 5,496 ft. asphalt
Lighted? Yes Navigational Aids? Yes
Nearest Airport with Scheduled Service
Lebanon Municipal Distance 18 miles
Number of Passsenger Airlines Serving Airport 1
 
Driving distance to selected cities:
Manchester, NH 80 miles
Portland, ME 172 miles
Boston, MA 130 miles
New York City, NY 283 miles
Montreal, Quebec 202 miles

(ACS 2008-2012) COMMUTING TO WORK
Workers 16 years and over
Drove alone, car/truck/van 79.5%
Carpooled, car/truck/van 11.0%
Public transportation 1.2%
Walked 0.9%
Other Means 5.4%
Worked at home 2.0%
Mean Travel Time to Work 26.9 minutes
 
Percent of Working Residents: (ACS 2008-2012)
Working in community of residence 24.1%
Commuting to another NH community 66.2%
Commuting out-of-state 9.7%
RECREATION, ATTRACTIONS, AND EVENTS
X Municipal Parks
YMCA/YWCA
Boys Club/Girls Club
Golf Courses
Swimming: Indoor Facility
Swimming: Outdoor Facility
Tennis Courts: Indoor Faclity
Tennis Courts: Outdoor Facility
Ice Skating Rink: Indoor Facility
Bowling Facilities
X Museums
Cinemas
Performing Arts Facilities
Tourists Attractions
X Youth Organizations (i.e., Scouts, 4-H)
X Youth Sports: Baseball
X Youth Sports: Soccer
Youth Sports: Football
X Youth Sports: Basketball
Youth Sports: Hockey
X Campgrounds
X Fishing/Hunting
X Boating/Marinas
X Snowmobile Trails
X Bicycle Trails
X Cross Country Skiing
X Beach or Waterfront Recreational Area
Overnight or Day Camps
   
Nearest Ski Area(s): Dartmouth Skiway
   


Source: Economic and Labor Market Information Bureau commpunity profiles
Grafton County profile PDF