Compare towns
Highgate 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
Highgate has the most renters (19.3% rent).
Orwell has the most kids (21.8% under 18).
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 | Highgate | Orwell | Walden |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,528Highest |
1,294 |
1,037Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.8%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-0.9% VT: +2.8% |
+2.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44±7.4Lowest about the VT average |
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 | 15.8%±5.3 VT: 17.9% |
21.8%±5.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
14.3%±3.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Orwell and Highgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.2%±5.2 VT: 21.4% |
24%±3.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
20.4%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Orwell and Highgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 19.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
22.1% VT: 43.8% |
26.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±2.1Lowest 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 | $81,017±$14k about the VT average |
$70,417±$22kLowest 13% below VT |
$88,000±$15kHighest 8% above VT |
| Walden and Highgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $280,500±$21k 11% below VT |
$335,600±$25kHighest 6% above VT |
$238,900±$23kLowest 25% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $895±$691Lowest 27% below VT |
$1,105±$51Highest 10% below VT |
$900±$136 27% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,558Lowest 29% below VT |
$3,914 22% below VT |
$3,944Highest 22% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.5%±11.3Lowest 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 | 8.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
10.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
9.3% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
87.3% VT: 73.2% |
93.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Lowest 4 yrs newer than VT |
1982 6 yrs newer than VT |
1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 32% above VT |
27 min 15% above VT |
26 minLowest 10% above VT |
| Work from home | 14.9%±7.2 VT: 16.9% |
13.3%±7.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
21.4%±6.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Walden and Highgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #43 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | Missisquoi Valley School District #89 | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 |
| High school in town | Missisquoi Valley Union High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8 |
— | — |
| 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.