Compare towns

Orange vs Shelburne 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%).
Shelburne has the shortest commute (25 min average).
Chatham has the most expensive homes ($363k 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.

MeasureOrangeShelburneChatham
People
Population
320Lowest
530Highest
430
Median age
41.3±9.1Lowest
5% below NH
50.3±11Highest
16% above NH
48.3±8.6
12% above NH
Shelburne and Chatham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
20.6%±5.6
NH: 18.2%
12.3%±5.1Lowest
NH: 18.2%
21.4%±7.4Highest
NH: 18.2%
Chatham 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%
31.7%±5.5Highest
NH: 20.1%
26.5%±10
NH: 20.1%
Shelburne 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%
NH: 40.6%
36.1%Lowest
NH: 40.6%
38.4%Highest
NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
4.7%±3.7
NH: 6%
4%±4.5Lowest
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
$93,125±$18k
6% below NH
$66,042±$19kLowest
33% below NH
Orange and Shelburne 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
$280,200±$45kLowest
30% below NH
$362,900±$42kHighest
10% 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 —
$1,130±$62
24% below NH
—
Property taxmedian, yearly
$5,132Highest
23% below NH
$3,801
43% below NH
$3,690Lowest
45% below NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
0%±100Lowest
NH: 48.2%
10%±70.4
NH: 48.2%
33.3%±100Highest
NH: 48.2%
Chatham 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%
5.5%Lowest
NH: 7.2%
8.1%
NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
97.5%Highest
NH: 72.8%
86%
NH: 72.8%
82.8%Lowest
NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year
1986Highest
7 yrs newer than NH
1977Lowest
2 yrs older than NH
1979
same as NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
28 min
5% above NH
25 minLowest
6% below NH
36 minHighest
33% above NH
Work from home
20.8%±8.9Highest
NH: 16.8%
9.3%±6.3
NH: 16.8%
7.3%±5.4Lowest
NH: 16.8%
Orange and Shelburne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
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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.