Compare towns
Orange vs Bennington vs Wells
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bennington has the shortest commute (17 min average).
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 | Orange | Bennington | Wells |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 957Lowest |
15,249Highest |
1,148 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.2% VT: +2.8% |
-2.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+5.6%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 50.3±5.3 17% above VT |
44.7±2.3Lowest 4% 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 | 15.6%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
15.1%±4.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Bennington and Orange 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% |
25.2%±2.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
24.5%±2.2 VT: 21.4% |
| Bennington and Wells 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% |
36.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
29.7% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.9Lowest VT: 7% |
5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
3%±2.1 VT: 7% |
| Bennington and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $71,302±$13k 12% below VT |
$59,446±$7kLowest 27% below VT |
$75,417±$11kHighest 7% below VT |
| Wells and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $222,000±$22k 30% below VT |
$213,300±$15kLowest 33% below VT |
$243,000±$42kHighest 23% below VT |
| Wells and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,330±$153Highest 8% above VT |
$1,133±$63Lowest 8% below VT |
$1,313±$282 6% above VT |
| Orange and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,545 30% below VT |
$4,513Highest 10% below VT |
$3,308Lowest 34% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±87Lowest VT: 48.4% |
68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
62.5%±100 VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
13.2% VT: 10.1% |
15.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.8% VT: 73.2% |
58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
93.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
1961Lowest 15 yrs older than VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 19% above VT |
17 minLowest 27% below VT |
48 minHighest 102% above VT |
| Work from home | 13.5%±4.3 VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±4.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
11.3%±6.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Bennington 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 | — | #58 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Echo Valley Community Union School District #67 | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Wells Spring Unified Union School District #69 |
| High school in town | None in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.7 |
— |
| 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.