Compare towns
Orford vs Sutton 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 affordable homes ($272k median).
Sutton has the most kids (20.5% under 18).
Fairlee has the most people working from home (23.5%).
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 | Sutton | Fairlee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,295 |
2,239Highest |
54Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | 0%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 48.9±3.3 26% above U.S. |
48.1±4.1Lowest 24% above U.S. |
63.5±7.6Highest 63% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 12.3%±3.1 U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±3.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
0%±52.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 25.5%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.6%±5.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
37%±54.9Highest 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% |
44.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
11.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±3.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
0%±26.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Orford and Sutton 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. |
$130,313±$31kHighest 61% above U.S. |
$21,071±$13kLowest 74% below U.S. |
| Sutton 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. |
$362,600±$16kHighest 9% above U.S. |
$277,500±$28k 17% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,263±$686 11% below U.S. |
$1,656±$614Highest 17% above U.S. |
$1,057±$620Lowest 25% below U.S. |
| Sutton 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. |
$7,652Highest 145% above U.S. |
$3,750Lowest 20% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.8%±10.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
27.6%±47.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
100%±55.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Fairlee and Orford 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% |
50%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
57.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1942Lowest 38 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 3% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
— |
| Work from home | 10.8%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.8%±5.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
23.5%±30.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Fairlee and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Rivendell Interstate School District | Kearsarge Regional School District | — |
| High school in town | Rivendell Academy | Kearsarge Regional High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.5Lowest |
10.4Highest |
— |
| 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.