Compare towns
Royalton vs Orwell vs Sharon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Royalton has the most people working from home (17.8%).
Orwell has the most homeowners (87.3%).
Sharon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.9%).
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 | Royalton | Orwell | Sharon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,752Highest |
1,294Lowest |
1,577 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.8% VT: +2.8% |
-0.9%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+3.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 43.9±10.1Lowest about the VT average |
47.5±7Highest 10% above VT |
45.6±7.7 6% above VT |
| Orwell and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.4%±5.8Lowest VT: 17.9% |
21.8%±5.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
21%±5 VT: 17.9% |
| Orwell and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.1%±6.4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
24%±3.1 VT: 21.4% |
25.1%±3.6Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Sharon and Orwell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.6%Highest VT: 43.8% |
22.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
37.9% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8%±4.2Highest VT: 7% |
3.6%±1.9 VT: 7% |
1.5%±0.9Lowest VT: 7% |
| Royalton and Orwell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $103,938±$24kHighest 28% above VT |
$70,417±$22kLowest 13% below VT |
$84,375±$17k 4% above VT |
| Royalton and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $263,200±$73kLowest 17% below VT |
$335,600±$25k 6% above VT |
$346,700±$37kHighest 10% above VT |
| Sharon and Orwell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,040±$391Lowest 16% below VT |
$1,105±$51 10% below VT |
$1,386±$155Highest 12% above VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,675 7% below VT |
$3,914Lowest 22% below VT |
$5,903Highest 17% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.7%±16.1 VT: 48.4% |
62.1%±35.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
19.8%±17.9Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Orwell and Royalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13%Highest VT: 10.1% |
10.8% VT: 10.1% |
3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 63.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
87.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
79.7% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965Lowest 11 yrs older than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1981 5 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 13% below VT |
27 minHighest 15% above VT |
26 min 12% above VT |
| Work from home | 17.8%±7.3Highest VT: 16.9% |
13.3%±7.2 VT: 16.9% |
12.7%±3.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Royalton and Orwell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #48 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | White River Unified School District #79 | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Sharon School District |
| High school in town | White River Valley High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.7 |
— | — |
| 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.