Compare towns
Orange vs Webster vs Barre
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Orange has the most affordable homes ($222k median).
Webster has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.2%).
Barre has the shortest commute (23 min average).
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 | Webster | Barre |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 957Lowest |
2,227 |
8,005Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
0% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.3±5.3Highest 29% above U.S. |
44.7±7.6Lowest 15% above U.S. |
48.4±4.2 24% above U.S. |
| Orange and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.6%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.6%±8Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.6%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Webster and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.7%±3.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Barre 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
30.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
39.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.5%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Webster and Barre 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 U.S. |
$107,171±$14kHighest 33% above U.S. |
$93,210±$9k 15% above U.S. |
| Webster and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $222,000±$22kLowest 33% below U.S. |
$338,500±$30kHighest about the U.S. average |
$281,400±$13k 15% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,330±$153Lowest 6% below U.S. |
$1,396±$622 about the U.S. average |
$1,524±$399Highest 8% above U.S. |
| Barre and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,545Lowest 14% above U.S. |
$6,021Highest 93% above U.S. |
$4,737 52% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±87Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
53.6%±71Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.4%±20.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Webster and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
96%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1974Lowest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 6% above U.S. |
31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 15% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.5%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.1%±3.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.7%±4.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Webster and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | #19 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Echo Valley Community Union School District #67 | Merrimack Valley School District | Barre Unified Union School District #97 |
| 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 |
U.S. 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.