Compare towns
Orange vs Jericho vs Topsham vs Walden
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).
Jericho has the most expensive homes ($493k median).
Walden has the youngest population (median age 48.8).
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 | Jericho | Topsham | Walden |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 957Lowest |
5,114Highest |
999 |
1,037 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+1.9% VT: +2.8% |
+2.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+2.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 50.3±5.3Highest 17% above VT |
49.7±5.1 15% above VT |
50.1±5.9 16% above VT |
48.8±3.2Lowest 13% 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%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
19.5%±4.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
18%±3.4 VT: 17.9% |
14.3%±3.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Jericho and Topsham 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% |
20.2%±4.4 VT: 21.4% |
23.2%±4.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
20.4%±2.6 VT: 21.4% |
| Topsham and Walden 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% |
65.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
28.1% VT: 43.8% |
26.4% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.9 VT: 7% |
2.4%±1.6 VT: 7% |
1.7%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
4%±2.1Highest VT: 7% |
| Walden and Orange 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 |
$116,923±$16kHighest 44% above VT |
$72,308±$60k 11% below VT |
$88,000±$15k 8% above VT |
| Jericho 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±$22kLowest 30% below VT |
$493,100±$38kHighest 56% above VT |
$222,900±$56k 30% below VT |
$238,900±$23k 25% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,330±$153 8% above VT |
$1,731±$111Highest 40% above VT |
$908±$398 26% below VT |
$900±$136Lowest 27% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,545Lowest 30% below VT |
$7,318Highest 45% above VT |
$4,006 21% below VT |
$3,944 22% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±87Lowest VT: 48.4% |
79.3%±52.9 VT: 48.4% |
91.9%±28.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
56.3%±86.8 VT: 48.4% |
| Topsham and Jericho 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% |
0.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
18.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
9.3% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
92.9% VT: 73.2% |
90.3% VT: 73.2% |
93.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Lowest 5 yrs newer than VT |
1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT |
1981Lowest 5 yrs newer than VT |
1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 19% above VT |
26 minLowest 10% above VT |
35 minHighest 49% above VT |
26 minLowest 10% above VT |
| Work from home | 13.5%±4.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
21.8%±6.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
14.2%±5.8 VT: 16.9% |
21.4%±6.7 VT: 16.9% |
| Jericho and Walden 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 | — | #6 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | Echo Valley Community Union School District #67 | Mount Mansfield Unified Union School District #401 | Waits River Union High District #36 | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 |
| High school in town | None in town | Mt. Mansfield Union High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.0 |
— | — |
| 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.