What stands out worked out from the figures below

Orleans has the most renters (35.9% rent).

Marshfield has the most people working from home (17.5%).

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	Marshfield
People
Population	809Highest	470Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-3.7% VT: +2.8%	—
Median age	41.7±5.8Lowest 3% below VT	42.4±8.8Highest about the VT average
	Marshfield 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%	19.4%±9.1Highest VT: 17.9%
	Marshfield 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%	10.2%±4.4Lowest VT: 21.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	24.8%Lowest VT: 43.8%	35.7%Highest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.7%±2.1Highest VT: 7%	3.6%±2.4Lowest VT: 7%
	Orleans and Marshfield 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	$84,375±$20kHighest 4% above VT
	Marshfield 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	$178,300±$31kHighest 44% below VT
	Marshfield and Orleans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$810±$94Lowest 34% below VT	$1,125±$79Highest 9% below VT
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,019Lowest 40% below VT	$3,269Highest 35% below VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	27.3%±17.2Lowest VT: 48.4%	52.4%±62.4Highest VT: 48.4%
	Marshfield 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%	4.9%Lowest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	64.1%Lowest VT: 73.2%	81.2%Highest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1938 38 yrs older than VT	1938 38 yrs older than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minHighest 33% above VT	29 minLowest 24% above VT
Work from home	8.3%±3.7Lowest VT: 16.9%	17.5%±7.2Highest VT: 16.9%
	Marshfield 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.