Compare towns
Sudbury vs Strafford vs Orwell
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sudbury has the most homeowners (95.8%).
Strafford has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.4%).
Orwell has the most renters (12.7% rent).
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 | Sudbury | Strafford | Orwell |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 679Lowest |
1,372Highest |
1,294 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-0.4%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-0.9% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.4±4.9Lowest 5% above VT |
51.4±4.7Highest 19% above VT |
47.5±7 10% above VT |
| Strafford and Orwell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±7.1 VT: 17.9% |
23%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
21.8%±5.4Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Strafford and Sudbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.8%±4.9Lowest VT: 21.4% |
22.1%±3.4 VT: 21.4% |
24%±3.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Orwell and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.3% VT: 43.8% |
53.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
22.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4 VT: 7% |
5.1%±2.6Highest VT: 7% |
3.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 7% |
| Strafford and Sudbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $100,208±$33k 23% above VT |
$110,833±$19kHighest 36% above VT |
$70,417±$22kLowest 13% below VT |
| Strafford and Sudbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $338,500±$49k 7% above VT |
$431,300±$40kHighest 36% above VT |
$335,600±$25kLowest 6% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,125±$789Highest 9% below VT |
$1,105±$51Lowest 10% below VT |
| Strafford and Orwell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,205 17% below VT |
$7,149Highest 42% above VT |
$3,914Lowest 22% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
44.6%±48 VT: 48.4% |
62.1%±35.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Orwell and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
5.2% VT: 10.1% |
10.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
88.9% VT: 73.2% |
87.3%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest 1 yr newer than VT |
1980 4 yrs newer than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 50 minHighest 113% above VT |
23 minLowest about the VT average |
27 min 15% above VT |
| Work from home | 13.2%±9.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
16.1%±4.3Highest VT: 16.9% |
13.3%±7.2 VT: 16.9% |
| Strafford and Orwell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | Strafford School District | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 10 photos → | 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.