Compare towns
Orange vs Norton 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 shortest commute (28 min average).
Norton has the most people working from home (25.5%).
Wells has the most expensive homes ($243k median).
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 | Norton | Wells |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 957 |
108Lowest |
1,148Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— | +5.6%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 50.3±5.3Lowest 17% above VT |
53.8±6.7Highest 25% above VT |
50.7±5.2 18% above VT |
| Norton 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% |
13%±21.1Lowest 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% |
31.5%±15.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
24.5%±2.2 VT: 21.4% |
| Norton and Wells 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% |
28.7% VT: 43.8% |
29.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.9Lowest VT: 7% |
4.6%±10.7Highest VT: 7% |
3%±2.1 VT: 7% |
| Norton 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±$13k 12% below VT |
$65,625±$23kLowest 19% below VT |
$75,417±$11kHighest 7% below VT |
| Wells and Orange 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 |
$200,000±$32kLowest 37% below VT |
$243,000±$42kHighest 23% below VT |
| Wells 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 |
— | $1,313±$282Lowest 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 | $3,545Highest 30% below VT |
$2,769Lowest 45% below VT |
$3,308 34% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±87Lowest VT: 48.4% |
— | 62.5%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Wells and Orange 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% |
13% VT: 10.1% |
15.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
100%Highest VT: 73.2% |
93.4% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
1974Lowest 2 yrs older than VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 19% above VT |
39 min 68% above VT |
48 minHighest 102% above VT |
| Work from home | 13.5%±4.3 VT: 16.9% |
25.5%±18Highest VT: 16.9% |
11.3%±6.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Norton 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 | — | Wells Spring Unified Union School District #69 |
| 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.