Compare towns
Orange vs Orwell vs Pawlet
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).
Orwell has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.9%).
Pawlet has the most people working from home (20.4%).
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 | Orwell | Pawlet |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 957Lowest |
1,294 |
1,480Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.2% VT: +2.8% |
-0.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.6%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 50.3±5.3Highest 17% above VT |
47.5±7Lowest 10% above VT |
47.9±7.5 11% above VT |
| Orange and Pawlet 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% |
21.8%±5.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
20.3%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Orwell and Pawlet 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% |
24%±3.1 VT: 21.4% |
27.3%±2.6Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Pawlet and Orwell 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% |
22.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
37.5%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.9Lowest VT: 7% |
3.6%±1.9 VT: 7% |
4.4%±2.9Highest VT: 7% |
| Pawlet and Orwell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $71,302±$13kHighest 12% below VT |
$70,417±$22k 13% below VT |
$62,273±$14kLowest 23% below VT |
| Orange and Orwell 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 |
$335,600±$25kHighest 6% above VT |
$266,200±$44k 16% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,330±$153Highest 8% above VT |
$1,105±$51Lowest 10% below VT |
$1,153±$215 7% below VT |
| Orange and Pawlet 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 |
$3,914 22% below VT |
$3,924Highest 22% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±87Lowest VT: 48.4% |
62.1%±35.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
42.6%±21.3 VT: 48.4% |
| Orwell and Pawlet 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% |
10.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
10% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
87.3%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
87.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 5 yrs newer than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1964Lowest 12 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 19% above VT |
27 minLowest 15% above VT |
33 minHighest 40% above VT |
| Work from home | 13.5%±4.3 VT: 16.9% |
13.3%±7.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
20.4%±8.3Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Pawlet 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 | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Mettawee School District #84 |
| 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.