Compare towns
Orange vs Nelson 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 highest household income ($119k).
Nelson has the most people working from home (31.5%).
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 | Nelson | Shelburne |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 320Lowest |
648Highest |
530 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -13.7% NH: +4.6% |
— |
| Median age | 41.3±9.1Lowest 5% below NH |
42.3±11.7 about the NH average |
50.3±11Highest 16% above NH |
| Shelburne and Nelson 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% |
27.5%±6.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
12.3%±5.1Lowest 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+ | 20%±5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
24.8%±2 NH: 20.1% |
31.7%±5.5Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Shelburne and Nelson 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% |
61.1%Highest NH: 40.6% |
36.1%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±3.7Highest NH: 6% |
0.9%±2.1Lowest 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 |
$99,792±$23k about the NH average |
$93,125±$18kLowest 6% 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 | $302,600±$35k 25% below NH |
$340,900±$49kHighest 15% below NH |
$280,200±$45kLowest 30% below NH |
| Nelson and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,203±$243Highest 19% below NH |
$1,130±$62Lowest 24% below NH |
| Nelson and Shelburne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,132 23% below NH |
$5,575Highest 16% below NH |
$3,801Lowest 43% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest NH: 48.2% |
40%±68.8Highest NH: 48.2% |
10%±70.4 NH: 48.2% |
| Nelson 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% |
1.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
5.5% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
90.2% NH: 72.8% |
86%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 7 yrs newer than NH |
1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
1977 2 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 5% above NH |
24 minLowest 9% below NH |
25 min 6% below NH |
| Work from home | 20.8%±8.9 NH: 16.8% |
31.5%±8Highest NH: 16.8% |
9.3%±6.3Lowest 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.