Compare towns
Orange vs Sheldon 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 most renters (12.2% rent).
Sheldon has the most kids (23.7% under 18).
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 | Sheldon | Topsham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 957Lowest |
2,267Highest |
999 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.2% VT: +2.8% |
-2.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+2.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 50.3±5.3Highest 17% above VT |
40.9±3.5Lowest 5% below 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% |
23.7%±3.6Highest VT: 17.9% |
18%±3.4 VT: 17.9% |
| Sheldon and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±4 VT: 21.4% |
12.6%±2.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
23.2%±4.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Topsham and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.1% VT: 43.8% |
14.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
28.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.9Highest VT: 7% |
2%±1.3 VT: 7% |
1.7%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
| Orange and Sheldon 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 |
$78,533±$25kHighest 3% below VT |
$72,308±$60k 11% below VT |
| Sheldon 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±$22kLowest 30% below VT |
$272,400±$61kHighest 14% below VT |
$222,900±$56k 30% below VT |
| Sheldon and Topsham 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 |
$1,286±$379 4% above VT |
$908±$398Lowest 26% below VT |
| Orange and Sheldon 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 |
$3,578 29% below VT |
$4,006Highest 21% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±87Lowest VT: 48.4% |
0%±27Lowest VT: 48.4% |
91.9%±28.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Topsham and Orange 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% |
5.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
18.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
89% VT: 73.2% |
90.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Lowest 5 yrs newer than VT |
1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
1981Lowest 5 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 19% above VT |
25 minLowest 7% above VT |
35 minHighest 49% above VT |
| Work from home | 13.5%±4.3 VT: 16.9% |
13%±3.7Lowest 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 | |||
| School district | Echo Valley Community Union School District #67 | Northern Mountain Valley Unified Union School District #85 | Waits River Union High District #36 |
| 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.