Compare towns
Orange vs Williamstown 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).
Williamstown has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.7%).
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 | Williamstown | Walden |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 957Lowest |
3,579Highest |
1,037 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+3.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+2.2% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 50.3±5.3Highest 17% above VT |
42±5Lowest about the VT average |
48.8±3.2 13% above VT |
| Orange and Walden 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% |
19.9%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
14.3%±3.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Williamstown 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% |
17%±3.9Lowest VT: 21.4% |
20.4%±2.6Highest 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% VT: 43.8% |
17.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
26.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.9Lowest VT: 7% |
4.8%±3.2Highest VT: 7% |
4%±2.1 VT: 7% |
| Williamstown 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±$13kLowest 12% below VT |
$94,418±$10kHighest 16% above VT |
$88,000±$15k 8% above VT |
| Williamstown and Walden 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 |
$234,900±$24k 26% below VT |
$238,900±$23kHighest 25% below VT |
| Walden and Williamstown 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 |
$1,659±$189Highest 34% above VT |
$900±$136Lowest 27% below VT |
| Williamstown and Orange 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 |
$3,841 24% below VT |
$3,944Highest 22% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±87Lowest VT: 48.4% |
83.7%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
56.3%±86.8 VT: 48.4% |
| Williamstown and Walden 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% |
8.2% VT: 10.1% |
9.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.7% VT: 73.2% |
93.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Lowest 5 yrs newer than VT |
1986Highest 10 yrs newer than VT |
1983 7 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 19% above VT |
23 minLowest about the VT average |
26 min 10% above VT |
| Work from home | 13.5%±4.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
13.9%±6.6 VT: 16.9% |
21.4%±6.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Walden and Williamstown 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 | — | #47 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Echo Valley Community Union School District #67 | Paine Mountain Union School District #68 | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 |
| High school in town | None in town | Williamstown Middle/High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.5 |
— |
| 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.