What stands out worked out from the figures below

Orwell has the most people working from home (13.3%).

Whitingham has the most affordable homes ($262k 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	Orwell	Whitingham
People
Population	1,294Lowest	1,368Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-0.9%Highest VT: +2.8%	-1%Lowest VT: +2.8%
Median age	47.5±7Highest 10% above VT	46.4±7.1Lowest 8% above VT
	Orwell and Whitingham 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%	19.8%±4.5Lowest VT: 17.9%
	Orwell and Whitingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	24%±3.1Lowest VT: 21.4%	31.1%±2.3Highest VT: 21.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	22.1%Lowest VT: 43.8%	32.8%Highest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.6%±1.9Highest VT: 7%	2.2%±1.9Lowest VT: 7%
	Orwell and Whitingham 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	$70,625±$11kHighest 13% below VT
	Whitingham 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±$25kHighest 6% above VT	$262,300±$30kLowest 17% below VT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,105±$51Highest 10% below VT	$673±$150Lowest 45% below VT
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,914Lowest 22% below VT	$5,055Highest about the VT average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	62.1%±35.9Lowest VT: 48.4%	62.7%±47.3Highest VT: 48.4%
	Whitingham and Orwell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	10.8%Lowest VT: 10.1%	15.5%Highest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	87.3%Highest VT: 73.2%	85.2%Lowest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT	1974Lowest 2 yrs older than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minLowest 15% above VT	38 minHighest 62% above VT
Work from home	13.3%±7.2Highest VT: 16.9%	9.7%±5.2Lowest VT: 16.9%
	Orwell and Whitingham 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	Twin Valley Unified School District #75
High school in town	None in town	Twin Valley Middle High School
Students per teacherat that high school	—	7.8
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.