What stands out worked out from the figures below

Orleans has the most homeowners (64.1%).

White River Junction has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.8%).

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	White River Junction
People
Population	809Lowest	3,364Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-3.7%Lowest VT: +2.8%	+10.8%Highest VT: +2.8%
Median age	41.7±5.8Highest 3% below VT	33.7±3.2Lowest 22% below VT
	Orleans and White River Junction are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	17.9%±4.5Highest VT: 17.9%	17.1%±5Lowest VT: 17.9%
	Orleans and White River Junction 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%	12.5%±3.6Lowest VT: 21.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	24.8%Lowest VT: 43.8%	38.9%Highest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.7%±2.1Highest VT: 7%	1.2%±1.1Lowest VT: 7%
	Orleans and White River Junction 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	$77,168±$4kHighest 5% below VT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$156,300±$18kLowest 51% below VT	$278,800±$78kHighest 12% below VT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$810±$94Lowest 34% below VT	$1,222±$216Highest about the VT average
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,019Lowest 40% below VT	$5,651Highest 12% above VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	27.3%±17.2Lowest VT: 48.4%	42.9%±17.3Highest VT: 48.4%
	White River Junction 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%	12.1%Highest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	64.1%Highest VT: 73.2%	43.9%Lowest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT	1963Highest 13 yrs older than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minHighest 33% above VT	15 minLowest 35% below VT
Work from home	8.3%±3.7Lowest VT: 16.9%	15.7%±5.8Highest VT: 16.9%
	White River Junction and Orleans 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.