Compare towns
Brighton vs Windham vs Worcester 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).
Windham has the most expensive homes ($354k median).
Worcester has the most people working from home (23.6%).
Orleans has the youngest population (median age 41.7).
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 | Windham | Worcester | Orleans |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,167Highest |
594Lowest |
831 |
809 |
| 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±11.6 5% above VT |
44.2±7.4 about the VT average |
47±2.7Highest 9% above VT |
41.7±5.8Lowest 3% below VT |
| Worcester and Brighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.3%±5.7Highest VT: 17.9% |
17.5%±7.9 VT: 17.9% |
12.8%±3.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
17.9%±4.5 VT: 17.9% |
| Brighton and Orleans 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% |
23.2%±8.1 VT: 21.4% |
19.5%±2.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
19.7%±3.2 VT: 21.4% |
| Brighton and Windham 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% |
48.1% VT: 43.8% |
53%Highest VT: 43.8% |
24.8%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±2.4 VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
6.9%±4.7Highest VT: 7% |
3.7%±2.1 VT: 7% |
| Worcester 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 |
$94,500±$12kHighest 16% above VT |
$73,833±$18k 9% below VT |
$57,159±$10k 30% below VT |
| Windham and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $163,900±$39k 48% below VT |
$353,900±$20kHighest 12% above VT |
$271,100±$27k 14% below VT |
$156,300±$18kLowest 51% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $775±$33Lowest 37% below VT |
— | $1,023±$136Highest 17% below VT |
$810±$94 34% below VT |
| Worcester and Orleans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,360 33% below VT |
$5,951Highest 18% above VT |
$4,421 12% below VT |
$3,019Lowest 40% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55%±17Highest VT: 48.4% |
41.2%±94 VT: 48.4% |
25.5%±37Lowest VT: 48.4% |
27.3%±17.2 VT: 48.4% |
| Brighton and Windham 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% |
9.9% VT: 10.1% |
5.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.2% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 51.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
82.9% VT: 73.2% |
85.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
64.1% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967 9 yrs older than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1976 same as VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 41% above VT |
27 minLowest 14% above VT |
29 min 22% above VT |
31 min 33% above VT |
| Work from home | 12.4%±8.1 VT: 16.9% |
20.5%±5.6 VT: 16.9% |
23.6%±4.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
8.3%±3.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Worcester and Windham 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 History | None yet | 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.