Compare towns
Barton vs Orwell vs Walden
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Barton has the most renters (47.3% rent).
Orwell has the most expensive homes ($336k median).
Walden has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.2%).
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 | Barton | Orwell | Walden |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 730Lowest |
1,294Highest |
1,037 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-0.9% VT: +2.8% |
+2.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 40±5.5Lowest 7% below VT |
47.5±7 10% above VT |
48.8±3.2Highest 13% above VT |
| Walden and Orwell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 24.1%±5.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
21.8%±5.4 VT: 17.9% |
14.3%±3.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Barton and Orwell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.2%±4.2 VT: 21.4% |
24%±3.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
20.4%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Orwell and Barton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
22.1% VT: 43.8% |
26.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.9%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
3.6%±1.9 VT: 7% |
4%±2.1Highest VT: 7% |
| Walden and Orwell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $40,833±$8kLowest 50% below VT |
$70,417±$22k 13% below VT |
$88,000±$15kHighest 8% above VT |
| Walden and Orwell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $146,900±$30kLowest 54% below VT |
$335,600±$25kHighest 6% above VT |
$238,900±$23k 25% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $761±$150Lowest 38% below VT |
$1,105±$51Highest 10% below VT |
$900±$136 27% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,185Lowest 37% below VT |
$3,914 22% below VT |
$3,944Highest 22% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.8%±18.2 VT: 48.4% |
62.1%±35.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
56.3%±86.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Orwell and Barton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 25.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
10.8% VT: 10.1% |
9.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
87.3% VT: 73.2% |
93.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1945Lowest 31 yrs older than VT |
1982 6 yrs newer than VT |
1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 32% above VT |
27 min 15% above VT |
26 minLowest 10% above VT |
| Work from home | 16.5%±10.4 VT: 16.9% |
13.3%±7.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
21.4%±6.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Walden and Barton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #38 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | — | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
VT 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.