Compare towns
Bethlehem vs Orford vs Sugar Hill
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bethlehem has the most people working from home (31.2%).
Orford has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
Sugar Hill has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.9%).
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 | Bethlehem | Orford | Sugar Hill |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,537Highest |
1,295 |
658Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
0% NH: +4.6% |
+14.9%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 50.6±8.5 17% above NH |
48.9±3.3Lowest 13% above NH |
60.8±2.1Highest 40% above NH |
| Sugar Hill and Bethlehem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.7%±5.4Highest NH: 18.2% |
12.3%±3.1 NH: 18.2% |
10.3%±3.5Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Bethlehem and Orford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 28.2%±5.5 NH: 20.1% |
25.5%±4.2Lowest NH: 20.1% |
37.2%±12.7Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Sugar Hill and Bethlehem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.1% NH: 40.6% |
44%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
59%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.9%±0.9Lowest NH: 6% |
5%±2.1Highest NH: 6% |
2%±3.1 NH: 6% |
| Orford and Sugar Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $85,029±$18kLowest 14% below NH |
$92,571±$24k 7% below NH |
$154,091±$32kHighest 56% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $288,300±$22k 28% below NH |
$271,900±$25kLowest 32% below NH |
$639,700±$50kHighest 59% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,174±$81Lowest 21% below NH |
$1,263±$686Highest 15% below NH |
$1,208±$630 19% below NH |
| Orford and Sugar Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,418Lowest 19% below NH |
$5,836 12% below NH |
$7,340Highest 10% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.3%±18.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
37.8%±10.7Lowest NH: 48.2% |
40%±100 NH: 48.2% |
| Bethlehem and Sugar Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
5.8% NH: 7.2% |
0.9%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.3%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
75.5% NH: 72.8% |
95.4%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Highest 6 yrs older than NH |
1971 8 yrs older than NH |
1964Lowest 15 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 24% below NH |
26 min 4% below NH |
26 minHighest about the NH average |
| Work from home | 31.2%±12.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
10.8%±4.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
16.8%±4.8 NH: 16.8% |
| Bethlehem and Sugar Hill 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 120 in NH | — | — |
| School district | Bethlehem School District · Profile School District | Rivendell Interstate School District | — |
| High school in town | Profile Senior High School | Rivendell Academy | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.9Lowest |
9.5Highest |
— |
| 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.