The Town FilesOrford, New Hampshire
Town in Grafton County · population 1,237 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $271,900
- Household income
- $92,571
- Jan low / Jul high
- 7° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 77 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 4
- Median age
- 48.9
Orford is a town of 1,237 people in Grafton County, New Hampshire. The median home is worth $271,900, below the typical New Hampshire town ($357,650). It ranks better for a vacation home than 94% of New Hampshire towns, better for first-time buyers than 93% of New Hampshire towns, better for retirees than 86% of New Hampshire towns.
How Orford ranks
Percentile among New Hampshire towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of New Hampshire towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Orford is worth $271,900, below the typical New Hampshire town ($357,650). Homes cost about 2.9 times the median household income of $92,571, which is more affordable than 93% of New Hampshire towns. Median rent is $1,263 a month. 75.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Orford | Typical New Hampshire town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $271,900 | $357,650 |
| Median rent | $1,263 | $1,285 |
| Median household income | $92,571 | $94,107 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.9× | 3.8× |
| Homeownership | 75.5% | 82.1% |
| Median year built | 1971 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 5.0% | — |
Who lives in Orford
| People | Orford | Typical New Hampshire town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 48.9 | 46.3 |
| Age 65 and over | 25.5% | 22.3% |
| Under 18 | 12.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 44.0% | 36.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 5.8% | 7.2% |
| Veterans | 8.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.6% | — |
| Work from home | 10.8% | 14.2% |
| Average commute | 25.5 min | 27.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 92.3% | 92.5% |
Weather in Orford
July highs average 82.0°F and January lows 7.0°F. About 42.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 76.5 inches of snow (typical New Hampshire town: 67.7 in). Expect about 10 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 178 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Orford since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical New Hampshire town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on August 11, 1966 about 8.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 16, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 20 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on August 24, 1998.
Severe weather in Grafton County since 1996
Grafton County has been included in 40 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| August 20, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4812: Severe Storm And Flooding |
| July 10, 2024 | Winter Storm | DR-4799: Severe Winter Storm And Flooding |
| April 19, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4771: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| February 27, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4761: Severe Storm And Flooding |
| September 14, 2023 | Flood | DR-4740: Severe Storms And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Grafton County
Grafton County had 54,323 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $73,105 a year. Unemployment was 1.9% in 2023; in Orford itself the ACS puts it at 4.8%.
Public schools in Orford
1 public school with 234 students, about 10.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rivendell Academy | 6-12 | 234 | 10.6 |
Towns near Orford
- Lyme, NH5.5 mi · 1,745 people · home $645,000
- Piermont, NH5.7 mi · 769 people · home $341,600
- Wentworth, NH5.7 mi · 845 people · home $304,500
- Fairlee, VT7.7 mi · 988 people · home $274,200
- Bradford, VT9.0 mi · 907 people · home $226,500
- West Fairlee, VT9.7 mi · 621 people · home $237,200
- Warren, NH10.4 mi · 825 people · home $237,200
- Bradford, VT10.8 mi · 2,790 people · home $258,600
Orford questions
Is Orford, New Hampshire a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Orford scores better for retirees than 86% of New Hampshire towns and quieter than 68%. 25.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 48.9).
How much does a house cost in Orford?
The median owner-occupied home in Orford is valued at $271,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $92,571, so homes cost about 2.9 times income. Median rent is $1,263 a month.
What is the weather like in Orford?
July highs average 82.0°F and January lows 7.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 42.9 inches of precipitation a year and 76.5 inches of snow.
Does Orford get tornadoes?
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Orford since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on August 11, 1966. The typical New Hampshire town has had 5.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)