Compare towns
Orford vs Eliot vs Bethlehem
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Orford has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
Eliot has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.3%).
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 | Eliot | Bethlehem |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,295Lowest |
7,146Highest |
2,537 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | 0% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.9±3.3Lowest 26% above U.S. |
50.8±5.9Highest 31% above U.S. |
50.6±8.5 30% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Bethlehem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.3%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±5.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Bethlehem and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.5%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
28.2%±5.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bethlehem and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.9%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Orford and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $92,571±$24k 15% above U.S. |
$101,522±$10kHighest 26% above U.S. |
$85,029±$18kLowest 5% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Orford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $271,900±$25kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$498,900±$62kHighest 50% above U.S. |
$288,300±$22k 13% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,263±$686 11% below U.S. |
$1,948±$471Highest 38% above U.S. |
$1,174±$81Lowest 17% below U.S. |
| Eliot and Orford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,836Highest 87% above U.S. |
$4,549Lowest 46% above U.S. |
$5,418 74% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.8%±10.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.3%±18.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Eliot and Bethlehem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minHighest 3% below U.S. |
23 min 15% below U.S. |
20 minLowest 23% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.8%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
31.2%±12.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bethlehem and Eliot 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 | — | #19 of 133 in ME | #34 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Rivendell Interstate School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | 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 Our Story | 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.