Compare towns
Orleans vs Proctor vs Whiting vs Brighton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Orleans has the most affordable homes ($156k median).
Proctor has the most homeowners (86.7%).
Whiting has the most expensive homes ($280k median).
Brighton has the most people working from home (12.4%).
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 | Orleans | Proctor | Whiting | Brighton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 809 |
1,794Highest |
532Lowest |
1,167 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7% VT: +2.8% |
+1.3%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— | -5.3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 41.7±5.8 3% below VT |
42.4±6.4 about the VT average |
39.6±2.7Lowest 8% below VT |
45.2±11.6Highest 5% above VT |
| Brighton and Proctor 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% |
21.8%±4.4 VT: 17.9% |
23.5%±6.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
18.3%±5.7 VT: 17.9% |
| Whiting and Proctor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.7%±3.2 VT: 21.4% |
22.4%±2.5 VT: 21.4% |
13%±5.1Lowest VT: 21.4% |
27.2%±4.6Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Brighton and Proctor 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% |
28.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
25.9% VT: 43.8% |
25.9% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.1 VT: 7% |
3.6%±1.7Lowest VT: 7% |
6.2%±4Highest VT: 7% |
4.6%±2.4 VT: 7% |
| Whiting and Brighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $57,159±$10k 30% below VT |
$74,167±$12k 9% below VT |
$91,250±$38kHighest 12% above VT |
$47,375±$21kLowest 42% below VT |
| Whiting and Proctor 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 |
$209,900±$17k 34% below VT |
$280,400±$36kHighest 11% below VT |
$163,900±$39k 48% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $810±$94 34% below VT |
$1,029±$202 17% below VT |
$1,204±$519Highest about the VT average |
$775±$33Lowest 37% below VT |
| Whiting and Proctor 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 |
$4,032 20% below VT |
$4,227Highest 16% below VT |
$3,360 33% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.3%±17.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
37.3%±16.2 VT: 48.4% |
58.3%±37.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
55%±17 VT: 48.4% |
| Whiting and Brighton 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% |
16.2% VT: 10.1% |
11.5% VT: 10.1% |
22%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.1% VT: 73.2% |
86.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
65.4% VT: 73.2% |
51.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1975Highest 1 yr older than VT |
1967 9 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 33% above VT |
22 min 6% below VT |
22 minLowest 7% below VT |
33 minHighest 41% above VT |
| Work from home | 8.3%±3.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
9.4%±4.6 VT: 16.9% |
10%±5.4 VT: 16.9% |
12.4%±8.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Brighton and Whiting are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | Quarry Valley Unified Union School District #70 | Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53 | Brighton School District |
| High school in town | — | Proctor Junior/Senior High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.7 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.