What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Calais has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.4%).

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.

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

Measure	Orleans	Calais
People
Population	809Lowest	1,713Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-3.7%Lowest VT: +2.8%	+3.4%Highest VT: +2.8%
Median age	41.7±5.8Lowest 3% below VT	42±8.6Highest about the VT average
	Calais and Orleans 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%	22.5%±5.4Highest VT: 17.9%
	Calais and Orleans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	19.7%±3.2Lowest VT: 21.4%	21.6%±5.2Highest VT: 21.4%
	Calais and Orleans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	24.8%Lowest VT: 43.8%	55.4%Highest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.7%±2.1Lowest VT: 7%	7.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7%
	Calais and Orleans 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	$100,625±$27kHighest 24% above VT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$156,300±$18kLowest 51% below VT	$390,300±$36kHighest 23% above VT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$810±$94Lowest 34% below VT	$1,408±$392Highest 14% above VT
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,019Lowest 40% below VT	$6,586Highest 31% above VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	27.3%±17.2Lowest VT: 48.4%	49%±38.3Highest VT: 48.4%
	Calais and Orleans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	8.2%Lowest VT: 10.1%	8.8%Highest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	64.1%Lowest VT: 73.2%	92.4%Highest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT	1976Highest same as VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minHighest 33% above VT	31 minLowest 32% above VT
Work from home	8.3%±3.7Lowest VT: 16.9%	23.4%±7.1Highest VT: 16.9%
Schools
School district	—	Washington Central Unified Union School District #92
High school in town	—	None in town
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.