What stands out worked out from the figures below

Goshen has the most expensive homes ($330k median).

Orleans has the most kids (17.9% under 18).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Goshen	Orleans
People
Population	142Lowest	809Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	-3.7% VT: +2.8%
Median age	58.9±8.3Highest 37% above VT	41.7±5.8Lowest 3% below VT
Kids under 18	10.6%±11.6Lowest VT: 17.9%	17.9%±4.5Highest VT: 17.9%
	Orleans and Goshen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	37.3%±11.7Highest VT: 21.4%	19.7%±3.2Lowest VT: 21.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	42.3%Highest VT: 43.8%	24.8%Lowest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	0%±10Lowest VT: 7%	3.7%±2.1Highest VT: 7%
	Orleans and Goshen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$56,250±$33kLowest 31% below VT	$57,159±$10kHighest 30% below VT
	Orleans and Goshen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$330,000±$115kHighest 4% above VT	$156,300±$18kLowest 51% below VT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	—	$810±$94 34% below VT
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,240Highest 4% above VT	$3,019Lowest 40% below VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	—	27.3%±17.2 VT: 48.4%
Below poverty line	16.2%Highest VT: 10.1%	8.2%Lowest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	100%Highest VT: 73.2%	64.1%Lowest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1978Highest 2 yrs newer than VT	1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	21 minLowest 11% below VT	31 minHighest 33% above VT
Work from home	12.1%±9.3Highest VT: 16.9%	8.3%±3.7Lowest VT: 16.9%
	Goshen and Orleans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.