What stands out worked out from the figures below

Stratton has the most expensive homes ($400k median).

Orleans has the most people working from home (8.3%).

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	Stratton	Orleans
People
Population	532Lowest	809Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	-3.7% VT: +2.8%
Median age	31.5±4.1Lowest 27% below VT	41.7±5.8Highest 3% below VT
Kids under 18	28%±7.4Highest VT: 17.9%	17.9%±4.5Lowest VT: 17.9%
	Stratton and Orleans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	11.7%±4Lowest VT: 21.4%	19.7%±3.2Highest VT: 21.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	33.2%Highest VT: 43.8%	24.8%Lowest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	1.3%±2.8Lowest VT: 7%	3.7%±2.1Highest VT: 7%
	Orleans and Stratton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$122,708±$33kHighest 51% above VT	$57,159±$10kLowest 30% below VT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$400,000±$50kHighest 26% above VT	$156,300±$18kLowest 51% below VT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,208±$979Highest about the VT average	$810±$94Lowest 34% below VT
	Stratton and Orleans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,750Highest 6% below VT	$3,019Lowest 40% below VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	12%±69.8Lowest VT: 48.4%	27.3%±17.2Highest VT: 48.4%
	Orleans and Stratton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	0%Lowest VT: 10.1%	8.2%Highest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	73.3%Highest VT: 73.2%	64.1%Lowest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1988Highest 12 yrs newer than VT	1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minHighest 39% above VT	31 minLowest 33% above VT
Work from home	3.3%±3.5Lowest VT: 16.9%	8.3%±3.7Highest VT: 16.9%
	Orleans and Stratton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
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.