Compare towns
Orange vs Durham vs Sharon
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 most affordable homes ($303k median).
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.1).
Sharon has the oldest population (median age 49.4).
Durham is a college town. 70.2% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Durham | Sharon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 320Lowest |
10,681Highest |
442 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +7.8% NH: +4.6% |
— |
| Median age | 41.3±9.1 5% below NH |
20.1±0.2Lowest 54% below NH |
49.4±11.2Highest 14% above NH |
| Sharon and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.6%±5.6 NH: 18.2% |
6.5%±2Lowest NH: 18.2% |
22.4%±8.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Sharon and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20%±5 NH: 20.1% |
7.5%±1.4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
31.4%±6.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Sharon and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
41.2% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±3.7 NH: 6% |
70.2%±1.6Highest NH: 6% |
1.6%±3Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $118,750±$39kHighest 20% above NH |
$112,070±$25kLowest 13% above NH |
$113,125±$19k 14% above NH |
| Orange and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $302,600±$35kLowest 25% below NH |
$498,000±$45kHighest 24% above NH |
$475,900±$38k 18% above NH |
| Durham and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,302±$211Lowest 13% below NH |
$1,458±$1kHighest about the NH average |
| Sharon and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,132Lowest 23% below NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$8,274 24% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest NH: 48.2% |
55.4%±19.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
28.6%±100 NH: 48.2% |
| Durham and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.4% NH: 7.2% |
12.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
6.2%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
53.6%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
93.1% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 7 yrs newer than NH |
1973Lowest 6 yrs older than NH |
1979 same as NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 5% above NH |
17 minLowest 36% below NH |
32 minHighest 20% above NH |
| Work from home | 20.8%±8.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
15.6%±3.3 NH: 16.8% |
11.2%±4.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Orange and Durham 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 | — | #9 of 120 in NH | — |
| 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.