Compare towns
Canaan vs Orange vs Charleston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Canaan has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Orange has the highest household income ($71k).
Charleston has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.2%).
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 | Canaan | Orange | Charleston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 810Lowest |
957Highest |
936 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.8%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-2.2% VT: +2.8% |
-0.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 53.2±4.6 23% above VT |
50.3±5.3Lowest 17% above VT |
58.4±9.3Highest 35% above VT |
| Charleston and Canaan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.8%±3.5Highest VT: 17.9% |
15.6%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
11.2%±4.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Canaan and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 28.5%±5.9 VT: 21.4% |
19.4%±4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
37.7%±8.6Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Charleston and Canaan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 13.8% VT: 43.8% |
22.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
13.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±2.3 VT: 7% |
2.4%±1.9Lowest VT: 7% |
3.7%±2.3Highest VT: 7% |
| Charleston and Canaan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $55,606±$4k 32% below VT |
$71,302±$13kHighest 12% below VT |
$49,286±$17kLowest 39% below VT |
| Orange and Canaan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $201,900±$46kLowest 36% below VT |
$222,000±$22k 30% below VT |
$238,000±$53kHighest 25% below VT |
| Charleston and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,330±$153Highest 8% above VT |
$979±$444Lowest 21% below VT |
| Orange and Charleston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,389Lowest 33% below VT |
$3,545 30% below VT |
$3,750Highest 26% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 17.2%±63.5 VT: 48.4% |
0%±87Lowest VT: 48.4% |
32.7%±26.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Charleston and Canaan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.4% VT: 10.1% |
7.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
12.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
87.8% VT: 73.2% |
87.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Lowest 4 yrs older than VT |
1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
1980 4 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 15% below VT |
28 minHighest 19% above VT |
26 min 12% above VT |
| Work from home | 15.4%±6.5 VT: 16.9% |
13.5%±4.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
18.7%±7.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Charleston and Canaan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Canaan School District | Echo Valley Community Union School District #67 | Charleston School District |
| High school in town | Canaan High School CTE Program | 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.