What stands out worked out from the figures below

Leicester has the most expensive homes ($310k median).

Orleans has grown the fastest since 2010 (-3.7%).

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	Leicester	Orleans
People
Population	1,026Highest	809Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-10%Lowest VT: +2.8%	-3.7%Highest VT: +2.8%
Median age	48.8±3.8Highest 13% above VT	41.7±5.8Lowest 3% below VT
	Leicester and Orleans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	14.9%±5.1Lowest VT: 17.9%	17.9%±4.5Highest VT: 17.9%
	Orleans and Leicester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	24.5%±6.7Highest VT: 21.4%	19.7%±3.2Lowest VT: 21.4%
	Leicester and Orleans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	35.9%Highest VT: 43.8%	24.8%Lowest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	1.3%±1.6Lowest VT: 7%	3.7%±2.1Highest VT: 7%
	Orleans and Leicester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$70,417±$30kHighest 13% below VT	$57,159±$10kLowest 30% below VT
	Leicester and Orleans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$309,700±$107kHighest about the VT average	$156,300±$18kLowest 51% below VT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,098±$300Highest 11% below VT	$810±$94Lowest 34% below VT
	Leicester and Orleans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,822Highest 24% below VT	$3,019Lowest 40% below VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	33.3%±40.4Highest VT: 48.4%	27.3%±17.2Lowest VT: 48.4%
	Leicester and Orleans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	11.8%Highest VT: 10.1%	8.2%Lowest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	85.5%Highest VT: 73.2%	64.1%Lowest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT	1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minLowest 20% above VT	31 minHighest 33% above VT
Work from home	12.7%±5.9Highest VT: 16.9%	8.3%±3.7Lowest VT: 16.9%
	Leicester 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.