Compare towns
Orange vs Walden vs Waterville
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).
Walden has the most people working from home (21.4%).
Waterville has the most kids (20.4% 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 | Walden | Waterville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 957 |
1,037Highest |
680Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+2.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+1.9% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 50.3±5.3Highest 17% above VT |
48.8±3.2Lowest 13% above VT |
49.1±8.2 14% above VT |
| Orange and Waterville 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% |
14.3%±3.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
20.4%±8.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Waterville and Orange 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% |
20.4%±2.6Highest VT: 21.4% |
14.4%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Walden 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%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
26.4% VT: 43.8% |
32.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.9Lowest VT: 7% |
4%±2.1 VT: 7% |
5.3%±3.3Highest VT: 7% |
| Waterville and Walden 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 |
$88,000±$15kHighest 8% above VT |
$71,250±$27kLowest 12% below VT |
| Walden 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±$22kLowest 30% below VT |
$238,900±$23kHighest 25% below VT |
$236,300±$15k 25% below VT |
| Walden and Waterville 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 |
$1,110±$93 10% below VT |
| Orange and Waterville 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 |
$3,944 22% below VT |
$3,957Highest 21% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±87Lowest VT: 48.4% |
56.3%±86.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
44.6%±27.2 VT: 48.4% |
| Walden and Waterville 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% |
9.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
4.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.8% VT: 73.2% |
93.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
79.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 5 yrs newer than VT |
1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT |
1972Lowest 4 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 19% above VT |
26 minLowest 10% above VT |
38 minHighest 60% above VT |
| Work from home | 13.5%±4.3 VT: 16.9% |
21.4%±6.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
8.5%±3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Walden 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 | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 | Lamoille North Modified Union School District #058A |
| 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.