Compare towns
Orange vs Sharon vs Chatham
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 people working from home (20.8%).
Sharon has the most expensive homes ($476k median).
Chatham has the most renters (17.2% rent).
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 | Sharon | Chatham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 320Lowest |
442Highest |
430 |
| Median age | 41.3±9.1Lowest 5% below NH |
49.4±11.2Highest 14% above NH |
48.3±8.6 12% above NH |
| Sharon and Chatham 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% |
22.4%±8.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
21.4%±7.4 NH: 18.2% |
| Sharon and Chatham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20%±5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
31.4%±6.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
26.5%±10 NH: 20.1% |
| Sharon and Chatham 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% |
41.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
38.4% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±3.7 NH: 6% |
1.6%±3Lowest NH: 6% |
5.8%±3.8Highest 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 |
$113,125±$19k 14% above NH |
$66,042±$19kLowest 33% below 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 |
$475,900±$38kHighest 18% above NH |
$362,900±$42k 10% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,458±$1k about the NH average |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,132 23% below NH |
$8,274Highest 24% above NH |
$3,690Lowest 45% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest NH: 48.2% |
28.6%±100 NH: 48.2% |
33.3%±100Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Chatham and Sharon 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% |
6.2%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
8.1% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
93.1% NH: 72.8% |
82.8%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 7 yrs newer than NH |
1979Lowest same as NH |
1979Lowest same as NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 5% above NH |
32 min 20% above NH |
36 minHighest 33% above NH |
| Work from home | 20.8%±8.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
11.2%±4.5 NH: 16.8% |
7.3%±5.4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Orange and Sharon 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.