Compare towns
Orange vs Barre vs Shelburne
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 people working from home (20.8%).
Barre has the most renters (49.6% rent).
Shelburne has the oldest population (median age 50.3).
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 | Barre | Shelburne |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 320Lowest |
8,412Highest |
530 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -6.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 41.3±9.1Lowest 6% above U.S. |
42.2±6.6 8% above U.S. |
50.3±11Highest 29% above U.S. |
| Shelburne and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.6%±5.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.5%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
12.3%±5.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Orange and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20%±5 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.4%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
31.7%±5.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±3.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±4.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Orange and Shelburne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $118,750±$39kHighest 47% above U.S. |
$65,625±$7kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$93,125±$18k 15% above U.S. |
| Orange and Shelburne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $302,600±$35kHighest 9% below U.S. |
$210,400±$15kLowest 37% below U.S. |
$280,200±$45k 16% below U.S. |
| Orange and Shelburne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,093±$58Lowest 23% below U.S. |
$1,130±$62Highest 20% below U.S. |
| Shelburne and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,132 65% above U.S. |
$5,192Highest 66% above U.S. |
$3,801Lowest 22% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
34.4%±10.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
10%±70.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Barre and Shelburne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
17.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
50.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 6% above U.S. |
19 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
25 min 5% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 20.8%±8.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.3%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Orange and Barre 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 | — | #19 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | — | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | — |
| High school in town | — | Spaulding Union High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.7 |
— |
| 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.