Compare towns
Brookfield vs Dorchester vs Orange
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brookfield has the most expensive homes ($428k median).
Dorchester has the most affordable homes ($140k median).
Orange has the most kids (20.6% 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 | Brookfield | Dorchester | Orange |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 567Highest |
410 |
320Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% NH: +4.6% |
— | — |
| Median age | 58.1±9.7Highest 34% above NH |
56±10.5 29% above NH |
41.3±9.1Lowest 5% below NH |
| Brookfield and Dorchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 8.6%±4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
11.2%±4.4 NH: 18.2% |
20.6%±5.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Orange and Dorchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 38.4%±3.4 NH: 20.1% |
39.8%±15.5Highest NH: 20.1% |
20%±5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Dorchester and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.8% NH: 40.6% |
35.8%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
37.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±5Highest NH: 6% |
0.5%±3.1Lowest NH: 6% |
4.7%±3.7 NH: 6% |
| Brookfield and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $81,406±$31kLowest 18% below NH |
— | $118,750±$39kHighest 20% above NH |
| Orange and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $428,000±$61kHighest 6% above NH |
$139,600±$133kLowest 65% below NH |
$302,600±$35k 25% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,926Highest 11% below NH |
$3,779Lowest 43% below NH |
$5,132 23% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | — | 0%±100 NH: 48.2% |
0%±100 NH: 48.2% |
| Below poverty line | 3.9%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
18.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
9.4% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 98.4%Highest NH: 72.8% |
96.3%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
97.5% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 4 yrs older than NH |
1973Lowest 6 yrs older than NH |
1986Highest 7 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the NH average |
40 minHighest 50% above NH |
28 min 5% above NH |
| Work from home | 13.7%±6.8 NH: 16.8% |
12.2%±8.8Lowest NH: 16.8% |
20.8%±8.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Orange and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| 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.