What stands out worked out from the figures below

Orleans has the most affordable homes ($156k median).

Belvidere has the most expensive homes ($239k median).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Orleans	Belvidere
People
Population	809Highest	422Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-3.7% VT: +2.8%	—
Median age	41.7±5.8Highest 3% below VT	40.7±6.5Lowest 6% below VT
	Orleans and Belvidere are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	17.9%±4.5Lowest VT: 17.9%	22%±4Highest VT: 17.9%
	Belvidere and Orleans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	19.7%±3.2Highest VT: 21.4%	8.8%±4Lowest VT: 21.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	24.8%Lowest VT: 43.8%	35.9%Highest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.7%±2.1Highest VT: 7%	1.4%±1.3Lowest VT: 7%
	Orleans and Belvidere are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$57,159±$10kLowest 30% below VT	$81,563±$18kHighest about the VT average
	Belvidere and Orleans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$156,300±$18kLowest 51% below VT	$239,200±$51kHighest 24% below VT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$810±$94Lowest 34% below VT	$1,542±$1kHighest 25% above VT
	Belvidere and Orleans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,019Lowest 40% below VT	$3,908Highest 22% below VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	27.3%±17.2Lowest VT: 48.4%	66.7%±53.8Highest VT: 48.4%
	Belvidere and Orleans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	8.2%Highest VT: 10.1%	5.5%Lowest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	64.1%Lowest VT: 73.2%	86.1%Highest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT	1989Highest 13 yrs newer than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minLowest 33% above VT	38 minHighest 60% above VT
Work from home	8.3%±3.7Lowest VT: 16.9%	9.4%±7.6Highest VT: 16.9%
	Belvidere and Orleans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.