Compare towns
Nelson vs Orange vs Roxbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Nelson has the most people working from home (31.5%).
Orange has the highest household income ($119k).
Roxbury has the shortest commute (21 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 | Nelson | Orange | Roxbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 648Highest |
320 |
299Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -13.7% NH: +4.6% |
— | — |
| Median age | 42.3±11.7 about the NH average |
41.3±9.1Lowest 5% below NH |
43.2±17.7Highest about the NH average |
| Roxbury and Nelson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 27.5%±6.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
20.6%±5.6 NH: 18.2% |
14.7%±11.5Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Nelson and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.8%±2Highest NH: 20.1% |
20%±5 NH: 20.1% |
17.4%±10.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Nelson and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 61.1%Highest NH: 40.6% |
37.2% NH: 40.6% |
30.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.9%±2.1Lowest NH: 6% |
4.7%±3.7 NH: 6% |
13.4%±15.8Highest NH: 6% |
| Roxbury and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $99,792±$23k about the NH average |
$118,750±$39kHighest 20% above NH |
$69,226±$14kLowest 30% below NH |
| Orange and Nelson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $340,900±$49kHighest 15% below NH |
$302,600±$35kLowest 25% below NH |
$323,100±$219k 20% below NH |
| Nelson and Roxbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,203±$243 19% below NH |
— | — |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,575 16% below NH |
$5,132Lowest 23% below NH |
$5,787Highest 13% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40%±68.8Highest NH: 48.2% |
0%±100Lowest NH: 48.2% |
0%±100Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Nelson and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 1.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
9.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
3.7% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.2%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
97.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
95.5% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 4 yrs older than NH |
1986Highest 7 yrs newer than NH |
1969Lowest 10 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 9% below NH |
28 minHighest 5% above NH |
21 minLowest 22% below NH |
| Work from home | 31.5%±8Highest NH: 16.8% |
20.8%±8.9 NH: 16.8% |
0.7%±1.4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Nelson and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Nelson School District | — | — |
| High school in town | None in town | — | — |
| 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.