Compare towns
Orwell vs Mount Tabor 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).
Mount Tabor has the most expensive homes ($421k median).
Walden has the most people working from home (21.4%).
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 | Orwell | Mount Tabor | Walden |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,294Highest |
304Lowest |
1,037 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.9%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— | +2.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.5±7Lowest 10% above VT |
57.8±10.6Highest 34% above VT |
48.8±3.2 13% above VT |
| Mount Tabor and Walden 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% |
10.2%±6.1Lowest VT: 17.9% |
14.3%±3.9 VT: 17.9% |
| Orwell and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24%±3.1 VT: 21.4% |
42.4%±18.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
20.4%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Mount Tabor and Orwell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
34.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
26.4% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.9 VT: 7% |
1.6%±4Lowest VT: 7% |
4%±2.1Highest VT: 7% |
| Walden and Orwell 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 |
— | $88,000±$15kHighest 8% above VT |
| Walden and Orwell 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 |
$420,500±$76kHighest 33% above VT |
$238,900±$23kLowest 25% below VT |
| Mount Tabor 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 |
$2,143±$367Highest 74% above VT |
$900±$136Lowest 27% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,914Lowest 22% below VT |
$5,233Highest 4% above 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% |
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% VT: 10.1% |
11%Highest VT: 10.1% |
9.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.3%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
92.3% VT: 73.2% |
93.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 6 yrs newer than VT |
1946Lowest 30 yrs older than VT |
1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 15% above VT |
46 minHighest 94% above VT |
26 minLowest 10% above VT |
| Work from home | 13.3%±7.2 VT: 16.9% |
10.4%±8.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
21.4%±6.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Walden and Orwell 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 | — | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.