Compare towns
Orange vs Effingham vs Topsham
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 shortest commute (28 min average).
Effingham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+15.4%).
Topsham has the most homeowners (90.3%).
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 | Effingham | Topsham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 957Lowest |
1,912Highest |
999 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+15.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.3±5.3Highest 29% above U.S. |
46.9±12.4Lowest 21% above U.S. |
50.1±5.9 29% above U.S. |
| Orange and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.6%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.5%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
18%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Effingham and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.7%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.2%±4.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Topsham 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
20.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.1%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.7%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Orange and Topsham 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. |
$76,607±$14kHighest 5% below U.S. |
$72,308±$60k 10% below U.S. |
| Effingham and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $222,000±$22kLowest 33% below U.S. |
$322,700±$30kHighest 3% below U.S. |
$222,900±$56k 33% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,330±$153Highest 6% below U.S. |
$1,090±$121 23% below U.S. |
$908±$398Lowest 36% below U.S. |
| Orange and Effingham 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. |
$5,163Highest 66% above U.S. |
$4,006 28% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±87Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
13.6%±40.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
91.9%±28.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 7.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9% U.S.: 12.5% |
18.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Lowest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981Lowest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 6% above U.S. |
32 min 19% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 32% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.5%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.1%±4.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.2%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Effingham and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Echo Valley Community Union School District #67 | Governor Wentworth Regional School District | Waits River Union High District #36 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.