Compare towns
Orange vs Ripton vs Walden vs Windham
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).
Ripton has the highest household income ($113k).
Walden has the most people working from home (21.4%).
Windham has the most kids (17.5% under 18).
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 | Ripton | Walden | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 957 |
508Lowest |
1,037Highest |
594 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+2.2% VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 50.3±5.3Highest 17% above VT |
47.7±14.2 11% above VT |
48.8±3.2 13% above VT |
44.2±7.4Lowest about the VT average |
| Orange and Walden 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% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
14.3%±3.9 VT: 17.9% |
17.5%±7.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Windham and Orange 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% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
20.4%±2.6 VT: 21.4% |
23.2%±8.1 VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Windham 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% |
48% VT: 43.8% |
26.4% VT: 43.8% |
48.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.9 VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
4%±2.1 VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $71,302±$13kLowest 12% below VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$88,000±$15k 8% above VT |
$94,500±$12k 16% above VT |
| Ripton and Windham 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 |
$394,400±$61kHighest 25% above VT |
$238,900±$23k 25% below VT |
$353,900±$20k 12% above VT |
| Ripton and Windham 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 |
— | $900±$136Lowest 27% below VT |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,545Lowest 30% below VT |
$4,915 about the VT average |
$3,944 22% below VT |
$5,951Highest 18% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±87Lowest VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
56.3%±86.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
41.2%±94 VT: 48.4% |
| Walden and Ripton 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% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
9.3% VT: 10.1% |
9.9%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.8% VT: 73.2% |
90.9% VT: 73.2% |
93.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
82.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 5 yrs newer than VT |
1973Lowest 3 yrs older than VT |
1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT |
1982 6 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 19% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
26 min 10% above VT |
27 min 14% above VT |
| Work from home | 13.5%±4.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
21.4%±6.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
20.5%±5.6 VT: 16.9% |
| Walden and Windham 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 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 | — |
| 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 | 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.