Compare towns
Dover vs Orange vs Wells
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+60%).
Orange has the most affordable homes ($222k median).
Wells has the most homeowners (93.4%).
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 | Dover | Orange | Wells |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,466Highest |
957Lowest |
1,148 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +60%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-2.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+5.6% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 53.5±8.3Highest 24% above VT |
50.3±5.3Lowest 17% above VT |
50.7±5.2 18% above VT |
| Dover and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 10.2%±5.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
15.6%±4.7Highest VT: 17.9% |
15.1%±4.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Orange and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.5%±6.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.4%±4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
24.5%±2.2 VT: 21.4% |
| Dover and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
22.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
29.7% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±2.9 VT: 7% |
2.4%±1.9Lowest VT: 7% |
3%±2.1Highest VT: 7% |
| Wells and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $52,313±$7kLowest 36% below VT |
$71,302±$13k 12% below VT |
$75,417±$11kHighest 7% below VT |
| Wells and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $332,900±$55kHighest 5% above VT |
$222,000±$22kLowest 30% below VT |
$243,000±$42k 23% below VT |
| Dover and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $670±$49Lowest 46% below VT |
$1,330±$153Highest 8% above VT |
$1,313±$282 6% above VT |
| Orange and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,510Highest 10% below VT |
$3,545 30% below VT |
$3,308Lowest 34% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.1%±17.2 VT: 48.4% |
0%±87Lowest VT: 48.4% |
62.5%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Wells and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
7.6% VT: 10.1% |
15.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
87.8% VT: 73.2% |
93.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
1981 5 yrs newer than VT |
1977Lowest 1 yr newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 6% below VT |
28 min 19% above VT |
48 minHighest 102% above VT |
| Work from home | 23.2%±11.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
13.5%±4.3 VT: 16.9% |
11.3%±6.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Dover and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | River Valleys Unified School District #73 | Echo Valley Community Union School District #67 | Wells Spring Unified Union School District #69 |
| High school in town | None 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.