Compare towns
Orange vs Fairlee vs Wells
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 affordable homes ($222k median).
Fairlee has the shortest commute (24 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 | Fairlee | Wells |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 957Lowest |
1,066 |
1,148Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+1.1% VT: +2.8% |
+5.6%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 50.3±5.3Lowest 17% above VT |
56.2±8.7Highest 30% above VT |
50.7±5.2 18% above VT |
| Fairlee and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.6%±4.7Highest VT: 17.9% |
12.2%±4.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
15.1%±4.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Orange and Wells 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% |
33.4%±5.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
24.5%±2.2 VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
46.5%Highest VT: 43.8% |
29.7% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.9Lowest VT: 7% |
5.3%±3.7Highest VT: 7% |
3%±2.1 VT: 7% |
| Fairlee 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±$13kLowest 12% below VT |
$74,760±$10k 8% below VT |
$75,417±$11kHighest 7% below VT |
| Wells and Fairlee 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 |
$274,200±$39kHighest 13% below VT |
$243,000±$42k 23% below VT |
| Fairlee and Wells 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 |
$1,083±$242Lowest 12% 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 |
$5,617Highest 11% above VT |
$3,308Lowest 34% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±87Lowest VT: 48.4% |
89.2%±71.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
62.5%±100 VT: 48.4% |
| Fairlee 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% |
14.7% VT: 10.1% |
15.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.8% VT: 73.2% |
80.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
93.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
1972Lowest 4 yrs older than VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 19% above VT |
24 minLowest 3% above VT |
48 minHighest 102% above VT |
| Work from home | 13.5%±4.3 VT: 16.9% |
15%±7.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
11.3%±6.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Fairlee and Orange 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 | Rivendell Interstate School District | Wells Spring Unified Union School District #69 |
| 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.