What stands out worked out from the figures below

Orange has the most affordable homes ($119k median).

Exeter has the most expensive homes ($243k 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Orange	Exeter
People
Population	1,196Highest	913Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-12.5%Highest NY: +4.2%	-14.4%Lowest NY: +4.2%
Median age	46.6±6.3Lowest 17% above NY	51.7±12.6Highest 30% above NY
	Exeter and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	18%±4Lowest NY: 20.5%	22.7%±7.1Highest NY: 20.5%
	Exeter and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	22.9%±4.1Lowest NY: 17.9%	26.9%±10.5Highest NY: 17.9%
	Exeter and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	16.8%Lowest NY: 40.2%	28.2%Highest NY: 40.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	0%±1.7Lowest NY: 7%	1%±1.9Highest NY: 7%
	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	$60,000±$9kLowest 30% below NY	$77,550±$19kHighest 10% below NY
	Exeter and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$119,200±$17kLowest 72% below NY	$243,000±$89kHighest 43% below NY
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$932±$81Highest 43% below NY	$867±$44Lowest 47% below NY
	Orange and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$2,667Lowest 59% below NY	$2,926Highest 56% below NY
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	66.1%±42.6Highest NY: 52.1%	0%±100Lowest NY: 52.1%
	Orange and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	12.7%Highest NY: 14%	4.3%Lowest NY: 14%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	84.9%Lowest NY: 54.3%	97.7%Highest NY: 54.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1979Highest 20 yrs newer than NY	1977Lowest 18 yrs newer than NY
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	30 minHighest 8% below NY	29 minLowest 12% below NY
Work from home	8.1%±4.3Lowest NY: 14.9%	14.4%±10.4Highest NY: 14.9%
	Exeter and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

NY 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.