Compare towns
Orford vs Bath vs Bethlehem
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Orford has the highest household income ($93k).
Bath has the most homeowners (90.9%).
Bethlehem has the most people working from home (31.2%).
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 | Orford | Bath | Bethlehem |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,295 |
1,097Lowest |
2,537Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | 0%Highest NH: +4.6% |
0%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-1.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 48.9±3.3 13% above NH |
48.6±8.6Lowest 12% above NH |
50.6±8.5Highest 17% above NH |
| Bethlehem and Orford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.3%±3.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
21.3%±5.8Highest NH: 18.2% |
17.7%±5.4 NH: 18.2% |
| Bath and Bethlehem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.5%±4.2Lowest NH: 20.1% |
26.1%±2.5 NH: 20.1% |
28.2%±5.5Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Bethlehem and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44% NH: 40.6% |
26.8%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
45.1%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.1Highest NH: 6% |
2.4%±2 NH: 6% |
0.9%±0.9Lowest NH: 6% |
| Orford and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $92,571±$24kHighest 7% below NH |
$67,813±$22kLowest 32% below NH |
$85,029±$18k 14% below NH |
| Orford and Bethlehem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $271,900±$25k 32% below NH |
$234,400±$23kLowest 42% below NH |
$288,300±$22kHighest 28% below NH |
| Bethlehem and Orford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,263±$686 15% below NH |
$1,438±$309Highest 4% below NH |
$1,174±$81Lowest 21% below NH |
| Bath and Orford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,836Highest 12% below NH |
$4,413Lowest 34% below NH |
$5,418 19% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.8%±10.7 NH: 48.2% |
5.9%±61.3Lowest NH: 48.2% |
41.3%±18.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Bethlehem and Orford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.8%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
8.1% NH: 7.2% |
10.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.5% NH: 72.8% |
90.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
75.3%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 8 yrs older than NH |
1978Highest 1 yr older than NH |
1973 6 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 4% below NH |
26 minHighest 4% below NH |
20 minLowest 24% below NH |
| Work from home | 10.8%±4.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
11.1%±3.2 NH: 16.8% |
31.2%±12.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | #34 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Rivendell Interstate School District | Bath School District | Bethlehem School District · Profile School District |
| High school in town | Rivendell Academy | None in town | Profile Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.5Highest |
— | 8.9Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.