Compare towns
Orange vs Chatham vs Grafton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Orange has the highest household income ($119k).
Chatham has the most expensive homes ($363k median).
Grafton has the most affordable homes ($267k median).
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 | Orange | Chatham | Grafton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 320Lowest |
430 |
1,354Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | — | +3.4% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.3±9.1Lowest 5% below NH |
48.3±8.6Highest 12% above NH |
43.1±10.6 about the NH average |
| Chatham and Grafton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.6%±5.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
21.4%±7.4Highest NH: 18.2% |
21%±4.9 NH: 18.2% |
| Chatham and Grafton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20%±5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
26.5%±10Highest NH: 20.1% |
21%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
| Chatham and Grafton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.2% NH: 40.6% |
38.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
24.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±3.7 NH: 6% |
5.8%±3.8Highest NH: 6% |
4.5%±2.8Lowest NH: 6% |
| Chatham and Orange 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 |
$66,042±$19kLowest 33% below NH |
$81,563±$22k 18% below NH |
| Orange and Grafton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $302,600±$35k 25% below NH |
$362,900±$42kHighest 10% below NH |
$267,300±$23kLowest 34% below NH |
| Chatham and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | — | $1,243±$163 17% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,132 23% below NH |
$3,690Lowest 45% below NH |
$5,239Highest 21% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest NH: 48.2% |
33.3%±100Highest NH: 48.2% |
32.1%±34.1 NH: 48.2% |
| Chatham and Grafton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
8.1% NH: 7.2% |
7.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
82.8%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
83.1% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 7 yrs newer than NH |
1979Lowest same as NH |
1983 4 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 5% above NH |
36 min 33% above NH |
43 minHighest 62% above NH |
| Work from home | 20.8%±8.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
7.3%±5.4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±6.8 NH: 16.8% |
| Orange and Grafton 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.