Compare towns
Orange vs Wells vs Barre
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).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.6%).
Barre has the highest household income ($93k).
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 | Wells | Barre |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 957Lowest |
1,148 |
8,005Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+5.6%Highest VT: +2.8% |
0% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 50.3±5.3 17% above VT |
50.7±5.2Highest 18% above VT |
48.4±4.2Lowest 12% above VT |
| Wells and Orange 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% |
15.1%±4.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
16.6%±3.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Barre 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% |
24.5%±2.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
21.7%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
| Wells and Barre 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% |
29.7% VT: 43.8% |
39.2%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.9Lowest VT: 7% |
3%±2.1Highest VT: 7% |
2.5%±1.2 VT: 7% |
| Wells 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 VT |
$75,417±$11k 7% below VT |
$93,210±$9kHighest 15% above VT |
| Barre and Wells 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 |
$243,000±$42k 23% below VT |
$281,400±$13kHighest 11% below VT |
| Barre and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,330±$153 8% above VT |
$1,313±$282Lowest 6% above VT |
$1,524±$399Highest 24% above VT |
| Barre and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,545 30% below VT |
$3,308Lowest 34% below VT |
$4,737Highest 6% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±87Lowest VT: 48.4% |
62.5%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
42.4%±20.4 VT: 48.4% |
| Wells and Barre 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% |
15.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
2.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
93.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
88.4% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
1974Lowest 2 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 19% above VT |
48 minHighest 102% above VT |
23 minLowest 4% below VT |
| Work from home | 13.5%±4.3 VT: 16.9% |
11.3%±6.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
13.7%±4.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Barre and Orange 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 | Wells Spring Unified Union School District #69 | Barre Unified Union School District #97 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.