Compare towns
Orange vs Bridgewater vs Orwell
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 people working from home (13.5%).
Bridgewater has the oldest population (median age 57.1).
Orwell has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.9%).
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 | Bridgewater | Orwell |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 957Lowest |
980 |
1,294Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.2% VT: +2.8% |
-3.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-0.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 50.3±5.3 17% above VT |
57.1±8Highest 32% above VT |
47.5±7Lowest 10% above VT |
| Bridgewater 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% |
12.8%±5.8Lowest VT: 17.9% |
21.8%±5.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Orwell 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% |
30.2%±0.7Highest VT: 21.4% |
24%±3.1 VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
40.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
22.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.9Lowest VT: 7% |
5.8%±3.8Highest VT: 7% |
3.6%±1.9 VT: 7% |
| Bridgewater and Orwell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $71,302±$13kHighest 12% below VT |
$70,272±$3kLowest 13% below VT |
$70,417±$22k 13% below VT |
| Orange and Orwell 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 |
$218,300±$55kLowest 31% below VT |
$335,600±$25kHighest 6% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,330±$153Highest 8% above VT |
$850±$778Lowest 31% below VT |
$1,105±$51 10% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,545 30% below VT |
$3,418Lowest 32% below VT |
$3,914Highest 22% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±87Lowest VT: 48.4% |
59.7%±39.1 VT: 48.4% |
62.1%±35.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Orwell and Bridgewater 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% |
14.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
10.8% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
85.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
87.3% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 5 yrs newer than VT |
1976Lowest same as VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 19% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
27 min 15% above VT |
| Work from home | 13.5%±4.3Highest VT: 16.9% |
10.5%±6.6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
13.3%±7.2 VT: 16.9% |
| Orange and Orwell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Echo Valley Community Union School District #67 | — | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 |
| High school 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.