Compare towns
Dorchester vs Orange vs Shelburne
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dorchester has the most affordable homes ($140k median).
Orange has the most people working from home (20.8%).
Shelburne has the shortest commute (25 min average).
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 | Dorchester | Orange | Shelburne |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 410 |
320Lowest |
530Highest |
| Median age | 56±10.5Highest 29% above NH |
41.3±9.1Lowest 5% below NH |
50.3±11 16% above NH |
| Dorchester and Shelburne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 11.2%±4.4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
20.6%±5.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
12.3%±5.1 NH: 18.2% |
| Orange and Shelburne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 39.8%±15.5Highest NH: 20.1% |
20%±5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
31.7%±5.5 NH: 20.1% |
| Dorchester and Shelburne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.8%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
37.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
36.1% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.5%±3.1Lowest NH: 6% |
4.7%±3.7Highest NH: 6% |
4%±4.5 NH: 6% |
| Orange and Shelburne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | — | $118,750±$39kHighest 20% above NH |
$93,125±$18kLowest 6% below NH |
| Orange and Shelburne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $139,600±$133kLowest 65% below NH |
$302,600±$35kHighest 25% below NH |
$280,200±$45k 30% below NH |
| Orange and Shelburne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | — | $1,130±$62 24% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,779Lowest 43% below NH |
$5,132Highest 23% below NH |
$3,801 43% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest NH: 48.2% |
0%±100Lowest NH: 48.2% |
10%±70.4Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Shelburne and Dorchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 18.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
9.4% NH: 7.2% |
5.5%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.3% NH: 72.8% |
97.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
86%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 6 yrs older than NH |
1986Highest 7 yrs newer than NH |
1977 2 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 40 minHighest 50% above NH |
28 min 5% above NH |
25 minLowest 6% below NH |
| Work from home | 12.2%±8.8 NH: 16.8% |
20.8%±8.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
9.3%±6.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Orange and Dorchester 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.