Compare towns
Windsor vs Chester 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
Windsor has the most kids (25.2% under 18).
Chester has the most expensive homes ($552k median).
Orange has the most people working from home (20.8%).
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 | Windsor | Chester | Orange |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 254Lowest |
5,300Highest |
320 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +9.7% NH: +4.6% |
— |
| Median age | 40.2±18.8Lowest 7% below NH |
47.2±3.8Highest 9% above NH |
41.3±9.1 5% below NH |
| Chester and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 25.2%±14.7Highest NH: 18.2% |
19.6%±3.7Lowest NH: 18.2% |
20.6%±5.6 NH: 18.2% |
| Windsor and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.7%±8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
17.4%±4 NH: 20.1% |
20%±5Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Orange and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 12.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
41.1%Highest NH: 40.6% |
37.2% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±4.2Lowest NH: 6% |
4.4%±2.1 NH: 6% |
4.7%±3.7Highest NH: 6% |
| Orange and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $103,750±$40kLowest 5% above NH |
$142,212±$19kHighest 44% above NH |
$118,750±$39k 20% above NH |
| Chester and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $337,500±$40k 16% below NH |
$552,300±$42kHighest 37% above NH |
$302,600±$35kLowest 25% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,381Lowest 49% below NH |
$8,464Highest 27% above NH |
$5,132 23% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.7%±100Highest NH: 48.2% |
19%±72.7 NH: 48.2% |
0%±100Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Windsor and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.8%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
9.4% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.5%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
97.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
97.5% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Lowest 4 yrs newer than NH |
1991Highest 12 yrs newer than NH |
1986 7 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 21% above NH |
35 minHighest 31% above NH |
28 minLowest 5% above NH |
| Work from home | 15%±16.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
16.4%±5.1 NH: 16.8% |
20.8%±8.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Orange and Chester 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 | — | #90 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | — | Chester School District | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.