Compare towns
Orange vs Windham vs Wells vs Walden
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).
Windham has the most expensive homes ($316k median).
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 | Windham | Wells | Walden |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 957Lowest |
1,432Highest |
1,148 |
1,037 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.3±5.3 29% above U.S. |
56.5±5.1Highest 45% above U.S. |
50.7±5.2 30% above U.S. |
48.8±3.2Lowest 25% above U.S. |
| Windham and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.6%±4.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
11.1%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
15.1%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
14.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Orange and Wells 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% |
31.4%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.5%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Windham and Wells 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% |
43.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
29.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
26.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.6%±5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Windham 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 U.S. |
$76,477±$17k 5% below U.S. |
$75,417±$11k 7% below U.S. |
$88,000±$15kHighest 9% above U.S. |
| Walden and Windham 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. |
$315,600±$74kHighest 5% below U.S. |
$243,000±$42k 27% below U.S. |
$238,900±$23k 28% below U.S. |
| Windham 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 6% below U.S. |
$850±$295Lowest 40% below U.S. |
$1,313±$282 7% below U.S. |
$900±$136 36% below U.S. |
| 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 14% above U.S. |
$3,363 8% above U.S. |
$3,308Lowest 6% above U.S. |
$3,944Highest 26% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±87Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
68.9%±35.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
62.5%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.3%±86.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Windham and Wells 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% |
7.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
15.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 6% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
48 minHighest 80% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 13.5%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.1%±6.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.3%±6.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.4%±6.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Walden and Windham 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 | — | Wells Spring Unified Union School District #69 | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 |
| 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 | 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.