Compare towns
Orwell vs Middlesex vs Troy vs Walden
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Orwell has the most kids (21.8% under 18).
Middlesex has the most people working from home (28.4%).
Troy has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.6%).
Walden has the oldest population (median age 48.8).
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.
| Measure | Orwell | Middlesex | Troy | Walden |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,294 |
1,943Highest |
1,749 |
1,037Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.9%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+2.8% VT: +2.8% |
+3.6%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+2.2% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.5±7 10% above VT |
44.4±3.9Lowest 3% above VT |
44.5±5.7 3% above VT |
48.8±3.2Highest 13% above VT |
| Walden and Orwell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.8%±5.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
21.3%±3.1 VT: 17.9% |
21.4%±3.9 VT: 17.9% |
14.3%±3.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Orwell and Troy are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 24%±3.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
20.6%±3.7 VT: 21.4% |
17.7%±3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
20.4%±2.6 VT: 21.4% |
| Orwell and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.1% VT: 43.8% |
54.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
20.2%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
26.4% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.9 VT: 7% |
5.2%±2.6Highest VT: 7% |
2.7%±1.4Lowest VT: 7% |
4%±2.1 VT: 7% |
| Middlesex and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $70,417±$22kLowest 13% below VT |
$109,632±$13kHighest 35% above VT |
$87,938±$11k 8% above VT |
$88,000±$15k 8% above VT |
| Middlesex and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $335,600±$25k 6% above VT |
$376,300±$40kHighest 19% above VT |
$233,200±$21kLowest 26% below VT |
$238,900±$23k 25% below VT |
| Middlesex and Orwell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,105±$51 10% below VT |
$1,333±$359Highest 8% above VT |
$646±$323Lowest 48% below VT |
$900±$136 27% below VT |
| Middlesex and Orwell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,914 22% below VT |
$6,483Highest 29% above VT |
$3,644Lowest 28% below VT |
$3,944 22% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.1%±35.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
30.8%±26.3 VT: 48.4% |
56.3%±86.8 VT: 48.4% |
| Orwell and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 10.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
3.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
9.3% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.3% VT: 73.2% |
96.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
86.6%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
93.8% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 6 yrs newer than VT |
1986Highest 10 yrs newer than VT |
1980Lowest 4 yrs newer than VT |
1983 7 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 15% above VT |
27 minHighest 17% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
26 min 10% above VT |
| Work from home | 13.3%±7.2 VT: 16.9% |
28.4%±10.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
7.8%±2.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
21.4%±6.7 VT: 16.9% |
| Middlesex and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Troy School District | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.