What stands out worked out from the figures below

Ludlow has the most people working from home (17.3%).

Orleans has the most affordable homes ($156k median).

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	Ludlow	Orleans
People
Population	808Lowest	809Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-4.7%Lowest VT: +2.8%	-3.7%Highest VT: +2.8%
Median age	48.7±5.6Highest 13% above VT	41.7±5.8Lowest 3% below VT
	Ludlow and Orleans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	13.1%±3.7Lowest VT: 17.9%	17.9%±4.5Highest VT: 17.9%
	Orleans and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	30.4%±0.5Highest VT: 21.4%	19.7%±3.2Lowest VT: 21.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	39.3%Highest VT: 43.8%	24.8%Lowest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.6%±1.6Lowest VT: 7%	3.7%±2.1Highest VT: 7%
	Orleans and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$56,667±$19kLowest 30% below VT	$57,159±$10kHighest 30% below VT
	Orleans and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$304,000±$32kHighest 4% below VT	$156,300±$18kLowest 51% below VT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,018±$91Highest 18% below VT	$810±$94Lowest 34% below VT
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,237Highest 16% below VT	$3,019Lowest 40% below VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	33%±13.8Highest VT: 48.4%	27.3%±17.2Lowest VT: 48.4%
	Ludlow and Orleans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	8.7%Highest VT: 10.1%	8.2%Lowest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	51.4%Lowest VT: 73.2%	64.1%Highest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1938 38 yrs older than VT	1938 38 yrs older than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	21 minLowest 10% below VT	31 minHighest 33% above VT
Work from home	17.3%±6.4Highest VT: 16.9%	8.3%±3.7Lowest VT: 16.9%
	Ludlow 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.