Compare towns
Middlesex vs Orange vs Wells
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Middlesex has the most people working from home (28.4%).
Orange has the most affordable homes ($222k median).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.6%).
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 | Middlesex | Orange | Wells |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,943Highest |
957Lowest |
1,148 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.8% VT: +2.8% |
-2.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+5.6%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.4±3.9Lowest 3% above VT |
50.3±5.3 17% above VT |
50.7±5.2Highest 18% above VT |
| Wells and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.3%±3.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
15.6%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
15.1%±4.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Middlesex and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.6%±3.7 VT: 21.4% |
19.4%±4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
24.5%±2.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Wells and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
22.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
29.7% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±2.6Highest VT: 7% |
2.4%±1.9Lowest VT: 7% |
3%±2.1 VT: 7% |
| Middlesex and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $109,632±$13kHighest 35% above VT |
$71,302±$13kLowest 12% below VT |
$75,417±$11k 7% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $376,300±$40kHighest 19% above VT |
$222,000±$22kLowest 30% below VT |
$243,000±$42k 23% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,333±$359Highest 8% above VT |
$1,330±$153 8% above VT |
$1,313±$282Lowest 6% above VT |
| Middlesex and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,483Highest 29% above VT |
$3,545 30% below VT |
$3,308Lowest 34% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
0%±87Lowest VT: 48.4% |
62.5%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Wells and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
7.6% VT: 10.1% |
15.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
87.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
93.4% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 10 yrs newer than VT |
1981 5 yrs newer than VT |
1977Lowest 1 yr newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 17% above VT |
28 min 19% above VT |
48 minHighest 102% above VT |
| Work from home | 28.4%±10.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
13.5%±4.3 VT: 16.9% |
11.3%±6.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Middlesex and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Echo Valley Community Union School District #67 | Wells Spring Unified Union School District #69 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.