an official  New Hampshire government website     
NHES NHES
    New Hampshire Employment Security     
         
 Orford, NH   
NH cities/towns
Community Contact Town of Orford
Deborah Hadlock, Town Clerk
2529 Route 25A
  Orford, NH 03777
 
Telephone (603) 353-4404
Fax (603) 353-4489
E-mail townclerk@orfordnh.us
Web Site www.orfordnh.us
 
Municipal Office Hours Town Administrator.: Monday to Thursday, 8-4, Friday, 8-1; Town Clerk: Tuesday, 1-6, Wednesday, 10-1, Thursday, 8-11; Tax Collector Thursday, 11-1
 
County Grafton County
Labor Market Area Lebanon, NH-VT Micropolitan NECTA, NH portion
Tourism Region Dartmouth-Sunapee Region
Planning Commission Upper Valley/Lake Sunapee Region
Regional Development Grafton County Economic Development Council
 
Election Districts
US Congress District 2
Executive Council District 2
State Senate District 5
State Representative Grafton County District 6
Incorporated: 1761
 
Origin: This town was chartered in 1761 to Jonathan Moulton and several members of his family. Governor Benning Wentworth gave it the name of Robert Walpole, Earl of Orford, known as the first Prime Minister of England, though that title was not used at the time. One of the town's first setters, many of who had come from Connecticut, was General Israel Morey. His son Samuel was a prolific inventor who determined a way to separate hydrogen from oxygen in water, using the knowledge to develop the first marine steam engine, testing the first ""steamboat"" on the river at Orford.
 
Villages and Place Names: Gilmans Corner, Merriwood Camp, Orfordville, Quintown
 
Population, Year of the First Census Taken: 540 residents in 1790
 
Population Trends: Population change for Orford totaled 450 over 50 years, from 793 in 1970 to 1,243 in 2020. The largest decennial percent change was a 17 percent increase from 1970 to 1980. The town's population increased by a half of one percent from 2010 to 2020.
 
Population Density and Land Area: 2023 (US Census Bureau): 26.8 persons per square mile of land area. Orford contains 46.4 square miles of land area and 1.4 square miles of inland water area.
 
 
 


Municipal Services
Type of Government Selectmen
Budget:Municipal Appropriations,2017 $976,572
Budget:School Appropriations,2020-2021 $3,460,322
Zoning Ordinance No Board
Master Plan 2001
Capital Improvement Plan Yes
Industrial Plans Reviewed By Planning Board
 
Boards and Commissions
    Elected: Selectmen; Planning
    Appointed: Conservation
 
Public Library Orford Free; Orford Social



Emergency Services
Police Department Full-time
Fire Department Volunteer
Emergency Medical Service Volunteer
 
Nearest Hospital(s) Distance Staffed Beds
Cottage Hospital, Woodsville 20 miles   35
Dartmouth-Hitchcock Med Ctr, Lebanon 22 miles   419
Alice Peck Day Memorial, Lebanon 27 miles   23


 
Utilities
Electric Supplier Eversource Energy; NH Electric Coop
Natural Gas Supplier None
Water Supplier Orford Village District & private wells
 
Sanitation Private septic
Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant No
Solid Waste Disposal
    Curbside Trash Pickup Private
    Pay-As-You-Throw Program Yes
    Recycling Program Voluntary
 
Telephone Company Topsham Communications
Cellular Telephone Access Limited
Cable Television Access No
Public Access Television Station No
High Speed Internet Service: Business Limited
High Speed Internet Service: Resident Limited
 


Property Taxes (NH Dept. of Revenue Administration)
2023 Total Tax Rate $32.70
2023 Equalization Ratio 62.3
2023 Full Value Tax Rate (per $1000 of value) $20.36
 
2023 Percent of Local Assessed Valuation by Property Type
    Residential Land and Buildings 90.6%
    Commercial Land and Buildings 7.0%
    Public Utilities, Current Use, and Other 2.4%

 
Housing (ACS 2018-2022)
Total Housing Units 652
 
Single-Family Units,Detached or Attached 534
 
Units in Multiple-Family Structures:
    Two to Four Units in Structure 41
    Five or More Units in Structure 14
Mobile Homes and Other Housing Units 63




Population(1-Year Estimates/Decennial) (US Census Bureau)
Total Population Community County
   2023 1,245   93,146
   2020 1,243   91,118
   2010 1,240   89,118
   2000 1,090   81,743
   1990 1,009   74,929
   1980 928   65,806

 
Demographics American Community Survey (ACS 2018-2022)
Population by Gender
Male   702 Female   611
Population by Age Group
      Under Age 5 51
      Age 5 to 19 158
      Age 20 to 34 199
      Age 35 to 54 381
      Age 55 to 64 192
      Age 65 and over 332
            Median Age 48.7 years


Educational Attainment, population age 25 or older 1,035
      High school graduation or higher 97.0%
      Bachelor's degree or higher 42.7%
 
Income, Inflation Adjusted $   (ACS 2018-2022)
Per Capita Income $58,958
Median Family Income $99,583
Median Household Income $82,625
 
Median Earnings, full-time, year-round workers
      Male $100,741
      Female $54,375
 
Individuals below poverty level 7.8%
 
Labor Force   (NHES - ELMI)

Annual Average 2013 2023
    Civilian Labor Force 776   786
    Employed 752   774
    Unemploymed 24   12
    Unemployment rate 3.1%   1.5%

 
Employment & Wages   (NHES-ELMI)
Annual Average Covered Employment 2013 2023
Good-Producing Industries  
    Average Employment  49  25
    Average Weekly Wage  $656  $922
 
Service-Providing Industries  
    Average Employment  88  324
    Average Weekly Wage  $841  $999
 
Total Private  
    Average Employment  137  349
    Average Weekly Wage  $776  $994
 
Government(Federal, State, Local)  
    Average Employment  101  83
    Average Weekly Wage  $683  $1,135
 
Total, Private Industry plus Government  
    Average Employment  238  431
    Average Weekly Wage  $736  $1,020
 
If "n" appears, data do not meet disclosure standards.




Education and Child Care NH Department of Education, 2023
Schools Students Attend: Grades K-12 are part of Rivendell Interstate (Orford NH; Fairlee VT, West Fairlee VT, Vershire VT) District: SAU 78
Career Technology Center: Hartford Area Career & Technology Center (VT) River Bend Career & Technical Center (VT)
 
Educational Facilities(includes Charter Schools) Elementary Middle/Junior High High School Private/Parochial
Number of Schools 1 1
Grade Levels 6-8 9-12
Total Enrollment 30 50
       
Nearest Community/Technical College: River Valley; Lakes Region
Nearest College or Universities: Dartmouth; Franklin Pierce-Lebanon; Upper Valley Educators Institute; Plymouth State

2023 NH Licensed Child Care Facilities (DHHS-Bureau of Child Care Licensing)   Total Facilities:     0   Capacity:     0

Largest Businesses Product/Service Employees Established
Rivendell Interstate School Education
 
Employer Information Supplied by Municipality
 
Transportation (distance estimated from city/town hall)
Road Access US Routes:
State Routes: 10, 25A
Nearest Interstate/Exit: I-91 (VT), Exit 15
Distance: 3 mile
 
Railroad No
Public Transportation No
 
Nearest Public Use Airport, General Aviation
    Dean Memorial, Haverhill Runway  2,500 ft. asphalt
    Lighted?  Yes Navigation Aids?  No
 
Nearest Airport With Scheduled Service
    Lebanon Municipal Distance   25 miles
    Number of Passenger Airlines Serving Airport 1
 
Driving distance to select cities:
    Manchester, New Hampshire 88 miles
    Portland, Maine 120 miles
    Boston, Massachusetts 138 miles
    New York City, New York 289 miles
    Montreal, Quebec, Canada 189 miles
 
Commuting To Work (ACS 2018-2022)
Workers 16 years of age and over
  Drove alone, car/truck/van: 78.7%
  Carpooled, car/truck/van: 3.9%
  Used Public Transportation: 0.4%
  Walked: 6.6%
  Traveled by other means: 0.0%
  Worked at home: 10.3%
Mean Travel Time to Work: 28.1 minutes
 
Work in community of residence: 74.6%
Commute to other NH community: 4.4%
Commute out-of-state: 21.0%
Recreation, Attractions, Events
X Municipal Parks
YMCA/YWCA
Boys Club/Girls Club
Golf Courses
Swimming: INDOOR FACILITY
Swimming: OUTDOOR FACILITY
Tennis Courts: Indoor Facility
Tennis Courts: Outdoor Facility
Ice Skating Rink: Indoor Facility
Bowling Facilities
Museums
Cinemas
Performing Arts Facilities
X Tourist Attractions
Youth Organizations (ie Scouts and 4-H)
X Youth Sports: Baseball
X Youth Sports: Soccer
Youth Sports: Football
X Youth Sports: Basketball
Youth Sports: Hockey
X Campgrounds
X Fishing/Hunting
X Boating/Marinas
X Snowmobile Trails
Bicycle Trails
Cross Country Skiing
X Beach or Waterfront Recreation Areas
X Overnight or Day Camps

Nearest Ski Areas: Dartmouth Skiway
 
Other: Rivendell Trail