Compare towns
Orange vs Westminster 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 highest household income ($119k).
Westminster has the most people working from home (27%).
Shelburne has the most renters (14% rent).
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 | Shelburne |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 320Lowest |
2,999Highest |
530 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -5.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 41.3±9.1Lowest 6% above U.S. |
53.5±3.7Highest 38% above U.S. |
50.3±11 29% above U.S. |
| Westminster and Shelburne 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% |
18.2%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
12.3%±5.1Lowest 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%±5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.6%±6.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
31.7%±5.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Shelburne and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
46.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±3.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±3.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Orange and Westminster 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. |
$71,491±$4kLowest 11% 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. |
$273,800±$35kLowest 18% 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 | — | $916±$126Lowest 35% below U.S. |
$1,130±$62Highest 20% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,132Highest 65% above U.S. |
$4,063 30% above U.S. |
$3,801Lowest 22% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.2%±7.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
10%±70.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Westminster and Shelburne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
86%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 6% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 10% below U.S. |
25 min 5% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 20.8%±8.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
27%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.3%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Westminster and Orange 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 |
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.