Orange

Grafton Countyβ€’Upper Valleyβ€’Population: 277

Overview

Orange is a small, rural town in Grafton County near Canaan, with forested hills and one of the smaller populations in the state. The town has no significant commercial development.

Orange's proximity to Canaan and Cardigan Mountain provides access to hiking and basic services, while the town's low density keeps it quiet. Most shopping trips require driving to Canaan or Enfield.

Housing in Orange remains affordable, drawing families and outdoor enthusiasts who want rural, Grafton County living near Mount Cardigan.

Pros & Cons

βœ“ Pros

  • β€’Mountain proximity
  • β€’Affordable
  • β€’Rural character
  • β€’Quiet

βœ— Cons

  • β€’Limited services
  • β€’No downtown
  • β€’Small population

Cost of Owning Here

Official property tax rates published by the NH Department of Revenue Administration, plus estimated tax bills for Orange.

2025 Local Tax Rate
$17.40
per $1,000 assessed value
2025 Effective (Equalized) Rate
$17.49
Equalization ratio: 100%
Municipal
$4.60
Local School
$11.20
State Education
$0.79
County
$0.81

Why "Effective Rate" is a better comparison

New Hampshire towns do not all assess property at the same percentage of market value. The state publishes an annual equalization ratio for every municipality showing how close local assessments are to full market value. A town that assesses homes at only 64% of market value will show an artificially high tax rate compared to a town that assesses at 100%. Multiplying the local rate by the equalization ratio produces an effective (equalized) rate that can be fairly compared across any two towns in the state.

YearTotal RateEffective RateMunicipalLocal SchoolState Ed.County
2025$17.40$17.49$4.60$11.20$0.79$0.81

Source: NH DRA

Example Tax Bills for 2025

Home ValueEstimated Annual TaxEstimated Monthly
$250,000$4,350$363
$350,000$6,090$508
$500,000$8,700$725
$750,000$13,050$1,088
$1,000,000$17,400$1,450

Estimates calculated using the 2025 local tax rate of $17.40 per $1,000 of assessed value. Actual tax bills depend on your property's specific assessed value and any exemptions or credits you may qualify for.

Climate & Environment

Summer Avg High
75Β°F
Winter Avg High
30.6Β°F
Annual Snowfall
70.7 in
Annual Rainfall
47.8 in
Sunny Days/Year
257
Data source: Open-Meteo / ERA5 β€’ Updated 7/4/2026

Transportation & Commute

Commute to Major Cities

Boston
125 mi
~157 min drive
Manchester
75 mi
~99 min drive
Portsmouth
117 mi
~149 min drive
Concord
46 mi
~80 min drive
Data source: OpenRouteService / OpenStreetMap β€’ Updated 7/3/2026

Recreation & Outdoors

Outdoor Recreation Score
36/100
Trail Miles
33.4
0
Boat Launches
2
00

Winter & Camping

Snowmobile Trails:5 miles
XC Ski Trails:0 miles
0

Economy & Demographics

πŸ’°Income

Median Household Income
$104,375
Per Capita Income
$51,077
Median Family Income
$90,625

🏠Housing Costs

Median Home Value
$263,800
Median Rent
$1,125/mo
Homeownership Rate
96.95%

πŸ’ΌEmployment

Unemployment Rate
1%
In Labor Force
200

πŸŽ“Education

Bachelor's Degree or Higher
27.44%
Total with Degree
73

πŸ‘₯Demographics

Median Age
41.6 years
Avg Household Size
2.81 people
Data source: Census ACS 2022 (5-Year) β€’ Census Data Year: 2022 β€’ Updated 7/3/2026

Compare Orange with Other Towns

See how Orange stacks up against other NH communities.