Compare towns
Brighton vs Calais vs Orleans
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brighton has the most renters (48.9% rent).
Calais has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.4%).
Orleans has the most affordable homes ($156k median).
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 | Brighton | Calais | Orleans |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,167 |
1,713Highest |
809Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+3.4%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.7% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.2±11.6Highest 5% above VT |
42±8.6 about the VT average |
41.7±5.8Lowest 3% below VT |
| Brighton and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.3%±5.7 VT: 17.9% |
22.5%±5.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
17.9%±4.5Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Calais and Brighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.2%±4.6Highest VT: 21.4% |
21.6%±5.2 VT: 21.4% |
19.7%±3.2Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Brighton and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.9% VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
24.8%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±2.4 VT: 7% |
7.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
3.7%±2.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Calais and Brighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $47,375±$21kLowest 42% below VT |
$100,625±$27kHighest 24% above VT |
$57,159±$10k 30% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $163,900±$39k 48% below VT |
$390,300±$36kHighest 23% above VT |
$156,300±$18kLowest 51% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $775±$33Lowest 37% below VT |
$1,408±$392Highest 14% above VT |
$810±$94 34% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,360 33% below VT |
$6,586Highest 31% above VT |
$3,019Lowest 40% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55%±17Highest VT: 48.4% |
49%±38.3 VT: 48.4% |
27.3%±17.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Brighton and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 22%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.8% VT: 10.1% |
8.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 51.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
92.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
64.1% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967 9 yrs older than VT |
1976Highest same as VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 41% above VT |
31 minLowest 32% above VT |
31 min 33% above VT |
| Work from home | 12.4%±8.1 VT: 16.9% |
23.4%±7.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
8.3%±3.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Calais and Brighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Brighton School District | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.