Compare towns
Orange vs Whitingham vs Wells vs Walden
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).
Whitingham has the most kids (19.8% under 18).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.6%).
Walden has the most people working from home (21.4%).
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 | Whitingham | Wells | Walden |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 957Lowest |
1,368Highest |
1,148 |
1,037 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-1% VT: +2.8% |
+5.6%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+2.2% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 50.3±5.3 17% above VT |
46.4±7.1Lowest 8% above VT |
50.7±5.2Highest 18% above VT |
48.8±3.2 13% 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% |
19.8%±4.5Highest VT: 17.9% |
15.1%±4.2 VT: 17.9% |
14.3%±3.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Whitingham 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% |
31.1%±2.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
24.5%±2.2 VT: 21.4% |
20.4%±2.6 VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
32.8%Highest VT: 43.8% |
29.7% VT: 43.8% |
26.4% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.9 VT: 7% |
2.2%±1.9Lowest VT: 7% |
3%±2.1 VT: 7% |
4%±2.1Highest VT: 7% |
| Walden and Wells 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 |
$70,625±$11kLowest 13% below VT |
$75,417±$11k 7% below VT |
$88,000±$15kHighest 8% above VT |
| Walden 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 |
$262,300±$30kHighest 17% below VT |
$243,000±$42k 23% below VT |
$238,900±$23k 25% below VT |
| Whitingham and Wells 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 |
$673±$150Lowest 45% below VT |
$1,313±$282 6% above VT |
$900±$136 27% below VT |
| Orange and Wells 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 |
$5,055Highest about the VT average |
$3,308Lowest 34% below VT |
$3,944 22% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±87Lowest VT: 48.4% |
62.7%±47.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
62.5%±100 VT: 48.4% |
56.3%±86.8 VT: 48.4% |
| Whitingham and Wells 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% |
15.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
15.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
9.3% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.8% VT: 73.2% |
85.2%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
93.4% VT: 73.2% |
93.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 5 yrs newer than VT |
1974Lowest 2 yrs older than VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 19% above VT |
38 min 62% above VT |
48 minHighest 102% above VT |
26 minLowest 10% above VT |
| Work from home | 13.5%±4.3 VT: 16.9% |
9.7%±5.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
11.3%±6.2 VT: 16.9% |
21.4%±6.7Highest 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 | Twin Valley Unified School District #75 | Wells Spring Unified Union School District #69 | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 |
| High school in town | None in town | Twin Valley Middle High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 7.8 |
— | — |
| 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.