Compare towns
Orange vs Exeter 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
Orange has the most kids (20.6% under 18).
Exeter has the most expensive homes ($457k median).
Shelburne has the oldest population (median age 50.3).
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 | Exeter | Shelburne |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 320Lowest |
16,151Highest |
530 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +12.2% NH: +4.6% |
— |
| Median age | 41.3±9.1Lowest 5% below NH |
45.8±2.3 6% above NH |
50.3±11Highest 16% above NH |
| Shelburne and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.6%±5.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
12.3%±5.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Orange and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20%±5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
31.7%±5.5Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Shelburne and Exeter 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% |
59.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
36.1%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±3.7 NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8Highest NH: 6% |
4%±4.5Lowest NH: 6% |
| Exeter 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 |
$110,346±$13k 11% above NH |
$93,125±$18kLowest 6% below NH |
| Orange and Exeter 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 |
$456,600±$21kHighest 13% above NH |
$280,200±$45kLowest 30% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,856±$223Highest 24% above NH |
$1,130±$62Lowest 24% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,132 23% below NH |
$8,814Highest 32% above NH |
$3,801Lowest 43% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
10%±70.4 NH: 48.2% |
| Exeter and Shelburne 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% |
4.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
5.5% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
69.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
86% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 7 yrs newer than NH |
1979 same as NH |
1977Lowest 2 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 5% above NH |
25 minLowest 7% below NH |
25 min 6% below NH |
| Work from home | 20.8%±8.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
9.3%±6.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Orange and Exeter 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 | — | #22 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | — | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | — |
| High school in town | — | Exeter High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 59 photos → | 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.