Compare towns
Orange vs Barre vs Topsham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Orange has the most renters (12.2% rent).
Barre has the highest household income ($93k).
Topsham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.2%).
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 | Topsham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 957Lowest |
8,005Highest |
999 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
0% VT: +2.8% |
+2.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 50.3±5.3Highest 17% above VT |
48.4±4.2Lowest 12% above VT |
50.1±5.9 16% above VT |
| Orange and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.6%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
16.6%±3.3 VT: 17.9% |
18%±3.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Topsham and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
21.7%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
23.2%±4.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Topsham and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
39.2%Highest VT: 43.8% |
28.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.9 VT: 7% |
2.5%±1.2Highest VT: 7% |
1.7%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
| Barre and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $71,302±$13kLowest 12% below VT |
$93,210±$9kHighest 15% above VT |
$72,308±$60k 11% below VT |
| Barre and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $222,000±$22kLowest 30% below VT |
$281,400±$13kHighest 11% below VT |
$222,900±$56k 30% below VT |
| Barre and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,330±$153 8% above VT |
$1,524±$399Highest 24% above VT |
$908±$398Lowest 26% below VT |
| Barre and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,545Lowest 30% below VT |
$4,737Highest 6% below VT |
$4,006 21% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±87Lowest VT: 48.4% |
42.4%±20.4 VT: 48.4% |
91.9%±28.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 7.6% VT: 10.1% |
2.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
18.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
88.4% VT: 73.2% |
90.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
1974Lowest 2 yrs older than VT |
1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 19% above VT |
23 minLowest 4% below VT |
35 minHighest 49% above VT |
| Work from home | 13.5%±4.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
13.7%±4.5 VT: 16.9% |
14.2%±5.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Topsham 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 | Echo Valley Community Union School District #67 | Barre Unified Union School District #97 | Waits River Union High District #36 |
| 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.