Compare towns

Roxbury vs Chatham vs Marlborough vs Orange

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Roxbury has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Chatham has the most expensive homes ($363k median).
Marlborough has the most renters (31.9% rent).
Orange has the highest household income ($119k).

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.

MeasureRoxburyChathamMarlboroughOrange
People
Population
299Lowest
430
2,207Highest
320
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census — —
+1.6%
NH: +4.6%
—
Median age
43.2±17.7
about the NH average
48.3±8.6Highest
12% above NH
46±9.2
6% above NH
41.3±9.1Lowest
5% below NH
Chatham and Marlborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
14.7%±11.5Lowest
NH: 18.2%
21.4%±7.4
NH: 18.2%
23.5%±5.7Highest
NH: 18.2%
20.6%±5.6
NH: 18.2%
Marlborough and Chatham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
17.4%±10.8Lowest
NH: 20.1%
26.5%±10Highest
NH: 20.1%
23.7%±1.7
NH: 20.1%
20%±5
NH: 20.1%
Chatham and Marlborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
30.6%Lowest
NH: 40.6%
38.4%
NH: 40.6%
39.5%Highest
NH: 40.6%
37.2%
NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
13.4%±15.8Highest
NH: 6%
5.8%±3.8
NH: 6%
1.5%±1.7Lowest
NH: 6%
4.7%±3.7
NH: 6%
Roxbury and Chatham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$69,226±$14k
30% below NH
$66,042±$19kLowest
33% below NH
$69,032±$9k
30% below NH
$118,750±$39kHighest
20% above NH
Orange and Roxbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$323,100±$219k
20% below NH
$362,900±$42kHighest
10% below NH
$267,200±$35kLowest
34% below NH
$302,600±$35k
25% below NH
Chatham and Roxbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly — —
$1,133±$323
24% below NH
—
Property taxmedian, yearly
$5,787
13% below NH
$3,690Lowest
45% below NH
$6,362Highest
5% below NH
$5,132
23% below NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
0%±100Lowest
NH: 48.2%
33.3%±100
NH: 48.2%
50.4%±25.3Highest
NH: 48.2%
0%±100Lowest
NH: 48.2%
Marlborough and Chatham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
3.7%Lowest
NH: 7.2%
8.1%
NH: 7.2%
13.2%Highest
NH: 7.2%
9.4%
NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
95.5%
NH: 72.8%
82.8%
NH: 72.8%
68.1%Lowest
NH: 72.8%
97.5%Highest
NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year
1969Lowest
10 yrs older than NH
1979
same as NH
1976
3 yrs older than NH
1986Highest
7 yrs newer than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
21 minLowest
22% below NH
36 minHighest
33% above NH
21 min
21% below NH
28 min
5% above NH
Work from home
0.7%±1.4Lowest
NH: 16.8%
7.3%±5.4
NH: 16.8%
12.3%±6.7
NH: 16.8%
20.8%±8.9Highest
NH: 16.8%
Orange and Marlborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
School district — — Marlborough School District —
High school in town — — None in town —
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story None yet 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.