Compare towns
Windsor vs Nelson 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 youngest population (median age 40.2).
Nelson has the most people working from home (31.5%).
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.
| Measure | Windsor | Nelson | Orange |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 254Lowest |
648Highest |
320 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -13.7% NH: +4.6% |
— |
| Median age | 40.2±18.8Lowest 7% below NH |
42.3±11.7Highest about the NH average |
41.3±9.1 5% below NH |
| Nelson and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 25.2%±14.7 NH: 18.2% |
27.5%±6.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
20.6%±5.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Nelson and Windsor 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% |
24.8%±2Highest NH: 20.1% |
20%±5 NH: 20.1% |
| Nelson and Orange 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% |
61.1%Highest NH: 40.6% |
37.2% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±4.2 NH: 6% |
0.9%±2.1Lowest NH: 6% |
4.7%±3.7Highest NH: 6% |
| Orange and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $103,750±$40k 5% above NH |
$99,792±$23kLowest about the NH average |
$118,750±$39kHighest 20% above NH |
| Orange and Windsor 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 |
$340,900±$49kHighest 15% below NH |
$302,600±$35kLowest 25% below NH |
| Nelson and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,203±$243 19% below NH |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,381Lowest 49% below NH |
$5,575Highest 16% below NH |
$5,132 23% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.7%±100Highest NH: 48.2% |
40%±68.8 NH: 48.2% |
0%±100Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Windsor and Nelson 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% |
1.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
9.4% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.5% NH: 72.8% |
90.2%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
97.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 4 yrs newer than NH |
1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
1986Highest 7 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 21% above NH |
24 minLowest 9% below NH |
28 min 5% above NH |
| Work from home | 15%±16.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
31.5%±8Highest NH: 16.8% |
20.8%±8.9 NH: 16.8% |
| Nelson and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | Nelson 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.