Compare towns
Dummerston 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
Dummerston has the most people working from home (25.9%).
Orwell has the most renters (12.7% rent).
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 | Dummerston | Orwell | Walden |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,090Highest |
1,294 |
1,037Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.1% VT: +2.8% |
-0.9%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+2.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.6±11.7Lowest 6% above 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 | 21.7%±6 VT: 17.9% |
21.8%±5.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
14.3%±3.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Orwell and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.3%±3Highest VT: 21.4% |
24%±3.1 VT: 21.4% |
20.4%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Dummerston and Orwell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 58.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
22.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
26.4% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.1Lowest 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 | $101,696±$21kHighest 25% above VT |
$70,417±$22kLowest 13% below VT |
$88,000±$15k 8% above VT |
| Dummerston and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $335,300±$22k 6% above VT |
$335,600±$25kHighest 6% above VT |
$238,900±$23kLowest 25% below VT |
| Orwell and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,392±$126Highest 13% above VT |
$1,105±$51 10% below VT |
$900±$136Lowest 27% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,536Highest 10% below VT |
$3,914Lowest 22% below VT |
$3,944 22% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.1%±32.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
62.1%±35.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
56.3%±86.8 VT: 48.4% |
| Orwell and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
10.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
9.3% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.9% VT: 73.2% |
87.3%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
93.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 5 yrs older than VT |
1982 6 yrs newer than VT |
1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 11% below VT |
27 minHighest 15% above VT |
26 min 10% above VT |
| Work from home | 25.9%±10.3Highest VT: 16.9% |
13.3%±7.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
21.4%±6.7 VT: 16.9% |
| Dummerston and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 |
| 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.