Compare towns
Orange vs Bow vs Walden
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Orange has the most affordable homes ($222k median).
Bow has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).
Walden has the most homeowners (93.8%).
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 | Bow | Walden |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 957Lowest |
8,335Highest |
1,037 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.3±5.3Highest 29% above U.S. |
41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
48.8±3.2 25% above U.S. |
| Orange and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.6%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.3%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±2.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Walden and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
26.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bow and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $71,302±$13kLowest 12% below U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$88,000±$15k 9% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $222,000±$22kLowest 33% below U.S. |
$506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$238,900±$23k 28% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,330±$153 6% below U.S. |
$1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S. |
$900±$136Lowest 36% below U.S. |
| Bow and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,545Lowest 14% above U.S. |
$9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$3,944 26% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±87Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.3%±86.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Walden and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Lowest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 6% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 13.5%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.4%±6.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bow and Walden 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 | — | #26 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Echo Valley Community Union School District #67 | Bow School District | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 |
| High school in town | None in town | Bow High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.