Compare towns
Orford vs Lyndeborough vs Fairlee
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 renters (24.5% rent).
Lyndeborough has the most expensive homes ($391k median).
Fairlee has the oldest population (median age 56.2).
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 | Lyndeborough | Fairlee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,295 |
1,616Highest |
1,066Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | 0%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.9±3.3Lowest 26% above U.S. |
50±3.2 29% above U.S. |
56.2±8.7Highest 44% above U.S. |
| Fairlee and Lyndeborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.3%±3.1 U.S.: 22% |
14.9%±5.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.2%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Lyndeborough and Orford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.5%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
33.4%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Fairlee and Orford 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% |
40.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±3.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Fairlee and Orford 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. |
$116,964±$17kHighest 45% above U.S. |
$74,760±$10kLowest 7% below U.S. |
| Lyndeborough 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. |
$390,900±$26kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$274,200±$39k 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,263±$686 11% below U.S. |
$1,482±$457Highest 5% above U.S. |
$1,083±$242Lowest 23% below U.S. |
| Lyndeborough and Orford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,836 87% above U.S. |
$7,133Highest 129% above U.S. |
$5,617Lowest 80% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.8%±10.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.9%±90 U.S.: 51.1% |
89.2%±71.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Fairlee and Lyndeborough 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% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
14.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 3% below U.S. |
39 minHighest 48% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 8% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.8%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.7%±3.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15%±7.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lyndeborough and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Rivendell Interstate School District | Wilton-Lyndeborough Cooperative School District | Rivendell Interstate School District |
| High school in town | Rivendell Academy | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.5 |
— | — |
| 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.