Compare towns
Ludlow vs Westminster vs Orleans
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ludlow has the most renters (48.6% rent).
Westminster has the most people working from home (27%).
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.
| Measure | Ludlow | Westminster | Orleans |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 808Lowest |
2,999Highest |
809 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.7% VT: +2.8% |
-5.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-3.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 48.7±5.6 13% above VT |
53.5±3.7Highest 24% above VT |
41.7±5.8Lowest 3% below VT |
| Westminster and Ludlow 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% |
18.2%±4.7Highest VT: 17.9% |
17.9%±4.5 VT: 17.9% |
| Westminster and Orleans 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% |
27.6%±6.8 VT: 21.4% |
19.7%±3.2Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Ludlow and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.3% VT: 43.8% |
46.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
24.8%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
4.4%±3.1Highest VT: 7% |
3.7%±2.1 VT: 7% |
| Westminster and Orleans 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 |
$71,491±$4kHighest 12% below VT |
$57,159±$10k 30% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $304,000±$32kHighest 4% below VT |
$273,800±$35k 14% below VT |
$156,300±$18kLowest 51% below VT |
| Ludlow and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,018±$91Highest 18% below VT |
$916±$126 26% below VT |
$810±$94Lowest 34% below VT |
| Ludlow and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,237Highest 16% below VT |
$4,063 19% below VT |
$3,019Lowest 40% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33%±13.8 VT: 48.4% |
49.2%±7.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
27.3%±17.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Westminster and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.7% VT: 10.1% |
8.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 51.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
88.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
64.1% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 10% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
31 minHighest 33% above VT |
| Work from home | 17.3%±6.4 VT: 16.9% |
27%±6.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
8.3%±3.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Westminster and Ludlow 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 | — | #53 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | — | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District | — |
| High school in town | — | Bellows Falls Union High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.6 |
— |
| 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.