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Orford, NH


orford New Hampshire Community Profile 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
Labor Market Area Lebanon, NH-VT Micropolitan NECTA, NH part
Tourism Region Dartmouth-Lake Sunapee
Planning Commission Upper Valley Lake Sunapee
Regional Development Grafton County Economic Development Council

Election Districts
US Congress District District 2
Executive Council District District 2
State Senate District 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 settlers, 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 2022 Census estimate for Orford was 1,251 residents, which ranked 176th among New Hampshire's incorporated cities and towns.
Population Density and Land Area, 2022 (US Census Bureau): 26.9 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
Capitol 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 PickupPrivate
Pay-As-You-Throw ProgramYes
Recycling ProgramVoluntary
Telephone Company Topsham Communications
Cellular Telephone Access Limited
Cable Television Access No
Public Access Television Station No
High Speed Internet Service:
BusinessLimited
ResidentialLimited

(NH Dept. of Revenue Administration) Property Taxes
2022 Total Tax Rate (per $1,000 of value) $28.25
2022 Equalization Ratio 66.3
2022 Full Value Tax Rate (per $1,000 of value) $18.74
2022 Percent of Local Assessed Value by Property Type
Residential Land and Buildings89.9%
Commercial Land and Buildings7.0%
Public Utilities, Current Use, and Other3.1%

(ACS 2017-2021) Housing
Total Housing Units 647
Single-Family Units, Detached or Attached 539
Units in Multiple-Family Structures:  
Two to Four Units in Structure 25
Five or More Units in Structure 19
Mobile Homes and Other Housing Units 64
(US Census Bureau) Population
(1-Year Estimates/Decennial)
Total Population Community County
2022 1,251 91,126
2020 1,237 91,118
2010 1,237 89,118
2000 1,090 81,826
1990 1,009 74,998
1980 928 65,806
 
Demographics, American Community Survey (ACS) 2017-2021
Population by Gender
Male:   713 Female:   736
Population by Age Group
Under age 5 49
Age 5 to 19 173
Age 20 to 34 217
Age 35 to 54 546
Age 55 to 64 145
Age 65 and over 319
Median Age 45.7 years
Educational Attainment, population 25 years and over 1,141
High school graduate or higher 90.4%
Bachelor's degree or higher 32.0%

(ACS 2017-2021) Income, Inflation Adjusted $
Per capita income $56,171
Median family income $94,167
Median household income $81,875
Median Earnings, full-time, year-round workers
Male $86,563
Female $48,654
Individuals below the poverty level 9.0%

(NHES - ELMI) Labor Force
Annual Average 2012 2022
Civilian Labor Force 779 799
Employed 752 784
Unemployed 27 15
Unemployment Rate 3.5% 1.9%

(NHES - ELMI) Employment & Wages
Annual Average Covered Employment 2012 2022
Goods Producing Industries
Average Employment 45 23
Average Weekly Wage $674 $955
     
Service Providing Industries
Average Employment 84 306
Average Weekly Wage $767 $996
     
Total Private Industry
Average Employment 129 328
Average Weekly Wage $735 $993
     
Government (Federal, State, and Local)
Average Employment 106 82
Average Weekly Wage $635 $1,039
     
Total, Private plus Government
Average Employment 234 410
Average Weekly Wage $690 $1,002

If "n" appears, data does not meet disclosure standards.


(NH Dept. of Education) Education and Child Care
Schools students attend: Grades K-12 are part of Rivendell Interstate (Orford NH; Fairlee VT, West Fairlee VT, Vershire VT) SAU 78
Career Technology Center(s): 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 0
Grade Levels 6-8 9-12 9-12
Total Enrollment 30
2022 NH Licensed Child Care Facilities (Bureau of Child Care Licensing): Total Facilities: 0 Total Capacity: 0
Nearest Community/Technical College: River Valley; Lakes Region
Nearest Colleges or Universities: Dartmouth; Franklin Pierce-Lebanon; Upper Valley Educators Institute; Plymouth State

Largest Businesses Product/Service Employees Established
Rivendell Interstate School Education

Employer Information Supplied by Municipality


(Distance estimated from city/town hall) Transportation
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, HaverhillRunway2,500 ft. asphalt
Lighted? Yes Navigational Aids? No
Nearest Airport with Scheduled Service
Lebanon Municipal Distance 25 miles
Number of Passenger Airlines Serving Airport 1
 
Driving distance to selected cities:
Manchester, NH 88 miles
Portland, ME 120 miles
Boston, MA 138 miles
New York City, NY 289 miles
Montreal, Quebec 189 miles

(ACS 2017-2021) Commuting to Work
Workers 16 years and over 908
Drove alone, car/truck/van 57.7%
Carpooled, car/truck/van 3.9%
Public transportation 0.3%
Walked 5.2%
Other Means 24.8%
Worked at home 8.1%
Mean Travel Time to Work 21.3 minutes
 
Percent of Working Residents: (ACS 2017-2021)
Working in community of residence 42.3%
Commuting to another NH community 43.1%
Commuting out-of-state 14.6%
Recreation, Attractions, and 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 (i.e., Scouts, 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 Recreational Area
X Overnight or Day Camps
   
Nearest Ski Area(s): Dartmouth Skiway
   
Other: Rivendell Trail

Economic & Labor Market Information Bureau, NH Employment Security, October 2023. Community Response Received 5/25/22

All information regarding the communities is from sources deemed reliable and is submitted subject to errors, omissions, modifications, and withdrawals without notice. No warranty or representation is made as to the accuracy of the information contained herein. Specific questions regarding individual cities and towns should be directed to the community contact.

 

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