What stands out worked out from the figures below

Orleans has the most people working from home (8.3%).

Stratton has the most expensive homes ($400k 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	Stratton
People
Population	809Highest	532Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-3.7% VT: +2.8%	—
Median age	41.7±5.8Highest 3% below VT	31.5±4.1Lowest 27% below VT
Kids under 18	17.9%±4.5Lowest VT: 17.9%	28%±7.4Highest VT: 17.9%
	Stratton 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%	11.7%±4Lowest VT: 21.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	24.8%Lowest VT: 43.8%	33.2%Highest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.7%±2.1Highest VT: 7%	1.3%±2.8Lowest VT: 7%
	Orleans and Stratton 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	$122,708±$33kHighest 51% above VT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$156,300±$18kLowest 51% below VT	$400,000±$50kHighest 26% above VT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$810±$94Lowest 34% below VT	$1,208±$979Highest about the VT average
	Stratton 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	$4,750Highest 6% below VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	27.3%±17.2Highest VT: 48.4%	12%±69.8Lowest VT: 48.4%
	Orleans and Stratton 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%	0%Lowest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	64.1%Lowest VT: 73.2%	73.3%Highest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT	1988Highest 12 yrs newer than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minLowest 33% above VT	33 minHighest 39% above VT
Work from home	8.3%±3.7Highest VT: 16.9%	3.3%±3.5Lowest VT: 16.9%
	Orleans and Stratton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.