Compare towns
Orange vs Westminster vs Wendell
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Orange has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
Westminster has the most people working from home (27%).
Wendell has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9%).
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 | Orange | Westminster | Wendell |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,573Highest |
2,999 |
850Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±2.2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
53.5±3.7Highest 38% above U.S. |
47.1±8.8 21% above U.S. |
| Westminster and Wendell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±3.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
16%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Orange and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.3%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.6%±6.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.7%±5.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Westminster and Wendell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 15.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
51.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±3.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Wendell and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $55,824±$10kLowest 31% below U.S. |
$71,491±$4kHighest 11% below U.S. |
$65,288±$14k 19% below U.S. |
| Westminster and Wendell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,900±$18kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$273,800±$35k 18% below U.S. |
$290,300±$31kHighest 13% below U.S. |
| Wendell and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $775±$233Lowest 45% below U.S. |
$916±$126 35% below U.S. |
$1,239±$519Highest 12% below U.S. |
| Wendell and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,136 33% above U.S. |
$4,063Lowest 30% above U.S. |
$4,519Highest 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41%±11.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.2%±7.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.6%±40.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Wendell and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 22.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
21.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Lowest 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 24% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 10% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.6%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
27%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.8%±7.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Westminster and Wendell 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 | #275 of 282 in MA | #53 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Orange · Ralph C Mahar | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District | New Salem-Wendell |
| High school in town | Ralph C Mahar Regional | Bellows Falls Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0Lowest |
10.6Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.