Compare towns
Orange vs Brookfield vs Walden vs Washington
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).
Brookfield has the most expensive homes ($339k median).
Walden has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.2%).
Washington has the oldest population (median age 52.9).
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 | Brookfield | Walden | Washington |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 957Lowest |
1,486Highest |
1,037 |
1,056 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.2% VT: +2.8% |
-3.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+2.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-0.7% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 50.3±5.3 17% above VT |
47±5.9Lowest 9% above VT |
48.8±3.2 13% above VT |
52.9±5.1Highest 23% above VT |
| Washington 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% |
18.8%±4.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
14.3%±3.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
16.5%±4.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Brookfield and Washington 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% |
29.7%±6.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
20.4%±2.6 VT: 21.4% |
24.3%±4.6 VT: 21.4% |
| Brookfield and Washington 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% |
45.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
26.4% VT: 43.8% |
31% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.9Lowest VT: 7% |
3.2%±2.4 VT: 7% |
4%±2.1Highest VT: 7% |
2.7%±2 VT: 7% |
| Walden and Brookfield 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 |
$98,500±$23kHighest 21% above VT |
$88,000±$15k 8% above VT |
$66,103±$8kLowest 19% below VT |
| Brookfield and Walden 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 |
$339,300±$15kHighest 7% above VT |
$238,900±$23k 25% below VT |
$217,700±$37kLowest 31% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,330±$153Highest 8% above VT |
$975±$306 21% below VT |
$900±$136Lowest 27% below VT |
$996±$285 19% below VT |
| Orange and Washington 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 |
$4,560Highest 10% below VT |
$3,944 22% below VT |
$3,485Lowest 31% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±87Lowest VT: 48.4% |
30.4%±27.8 VT: 48.4% |
56.3%±86.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
34.5%±63.6 VT: 48.4% |
| Walden and Washington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.6% VT: 10.1% |
6.3% VT: 10.1% |
9.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
3.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
87.9% VT: 73.2% |
93.8% VT: 73.2% |
94.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 5 yrs newer than VT |
1975Lowest 1 yr older than VT |
1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT |
1980 4 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 19% above VT |
37 minHighest 55% above VT |
26 minLowest 10% above VT |
31 min 31% above VT |
| Work from home | 13.5%±4.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
27.3%±10.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
21.4%±6.7 VT: 16.9% |
14.9%±5.7 VT: 16.9% |
| Brookfield and Walden 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 | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 | Echo Valley Community Union School District #67 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.