Compare towns
Sheffield vs Orwell vs Ryegate
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sheffield has the most affordable homes ($172k median).
Orwell has the most people working from home (13.3%).
Ryegate has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.8%).
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 | Sheffield | Orwell | Ryegate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 573Lowest |
1,294Highest |
1,059 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-0.9% VT: +2.8% |
-0.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42±8 about the VT average |
47.5±7Highest 10% above VT |
41.2±2.6Lowest 4% below VT |
| Orwell and Sheffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±6.6Lowest VT: 17.9% |
21.8%±5.4 VT: 17.9% |
23.2%±4.6Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Ryegate and Orwell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.2%±4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
24%±3.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
22.1%±1.5 VT: 21.4% |
| Orwell and Ryegate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.1% VT: 43.8% |
22.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
29.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.9%±4.7Highest VT: 7% |
3.6%±1.9 VT: 7% |
2.4%±1.4Lowest VT: 7% |
| Sheffield and Orwell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $58,333±$26kLowest 28% below VT |
$70,417±$22kHighest 13% below VT |
$66,484±$15k 18% below VT |
| Orwell and Ryegate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $171,900±$50kLowest 46% below VT |
$335,600±$25kHighest 6% above VT |
$219,300±$32k 31% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $967±$79 22% below VT |
$1,105±$51Highest 10% below VT |
$908±$236Lowest 26% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,123Lowest 58% below VT |
$3,914Highest 22% below VT |
$3,472 31% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.5%±41.2 VT: 48.4% |
62.1%±35.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
55.9%±29.7Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Orwell and Sheffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
10.8% VT: 10.1% |
14.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
87.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
84.7% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 11 yrs newer than VT |
1982 6 yrs newer than VT |
1949Lowest 27 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 28% above VT |
27 minLowest 15% above VT |
28 min 18% above VT |
| Work from home | 6.1%±2.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
13.3%±7.2Highest VT: 16.9% |
8.2%±3.7 VT: 16.9% |
| Orwell and Ryegate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Kingdom East Unified Union School District #64 | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | — |
| High school 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.