Compare towns
Orwell vs Whiting vs Shoreham
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 homeowners (87.3%).
Whiting has the most renters (34.6% rent).
Shoreham has the most people working from home (15.9%).
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 | Whiting | Shoreham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,294Highest |
532Lowest |
1,269 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.9%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— | -0.4%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.5±7 10% above VT |
39.6±2.7Lowest 8% below VT |
51.8±7.2Highest 20% above VT |
| Shoreham and Orwell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.8%±5.4 VT: 17.9% |
23.5%±6.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
18%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Whiting and Orwell 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% |
13%±5.1Lowest VT: 21.4% |
26.1%±3.7Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Shoreham 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% |
25.9% VT: 43.8% |
36.2%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.9 VT: 7% |
6.2%±4Highest VT: 7% |
1.7%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Whiting 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 |
$91,250±$38k 12% above VT |
$93,654±$23kHighest 15% above VT |
| Shoreham and Whiting are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $335,600±$25kHighest 6% above VT |
$280,400±$36kLowest 11% below VT |
$316,400±$34k about the VT average |
| Orwell and Shoreham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,105±$51Lowest 10% below VT |
$1,204±$519 about the VT average |
$1,306±$335Highest 6% above VT |
| Shoreham and Whiting are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,914Lowest 22% below VT |
$4,227 16% below VT |
$4,713Highest 6% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.1%±35.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
58.3%±37.3 VT: 48.4% |
33.3%±48.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Orwell and Whiting 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% |
11.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
65.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
80.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1975Lowest 1 yr older than VT |
1979 3 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest 15% above VT |
22 minLowest 7% below VT |
26 min 11% above VT |
| Work from home | 13.3%±7.2 VT: 16.9% |
10%±5.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
15.9%±5.2Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Shoreham 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 | Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.