Compare towns
Orange vs Hardwick 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 shortest commute (28 min average).
Hardwick has the highest household income ($92k).
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 | Hardwick | Topsham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 957Lowest |
2,965Highest |
999 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.2% VT: +2.8% |
-3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+2.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 50.3±5.3Highest 17% above VT |
47.1±7.4Lowest 9% 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% |
15.8%±4.4 VT: 17.9% |
18%±3.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Topsham and Hardwick 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% |
27%±5.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
23.2%±4.8 VT: 21.4% |
| Hardwick and Topsham 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% |
33.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
28.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.9Highest VT: 7% |
2.4%±2.4Highest VT: 7% |
1.7%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $71,302±$13kLowest 12% below VT |
$92,297±$17kHighest 14% above VT |
$72,308±$60k 11% below VT |
| Hardwick 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±$22k 30% below VT |
$184,700±$39kLowest 42% below VT |
$222,900±$56kHighest 30% below VT |
| Topsham 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 |
$875±$406Lowest 29% below VT |
$908±$398 26% below VT |
| Orange and Topsham 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 |
$4,351Highest 14% below VT |
$4,006 21% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±87Lowest VT: 48.4% |
48.6%±41.3 VT: 48.4% |
91.9%±28.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Topsham and Hardwick 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% |
9.7% VT: 10.1% |
18.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.8% VT: 73.2% |
76.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
1962Lowest 14 yrs older than VT |
1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 19% above VT |
29 min 23% above VT |
35 minHighest 49% above VT |
| Work from home | 13.5%±4.3 VT: 16.9% |
11.8%±6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
14.2%±5.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Topsham 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 | — | #68 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Echo Valley Community Union School District #67 | Mountain View Union Elementary School District #94 · Hazen Union High School District #26 | Waits River Union High District #36 |
| High school in town | None in town | Hazen Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.6 |
— |
| 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.