Compare towns
Sudbury vs Williston 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%).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
Orwell has the oldest population (median age 47.5).
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 | Williston | Orwell |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 679Lowest |
10,144Highest |
1,294 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+16.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-0.9% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.4±4.9Lowest 5% above VT |
45.4±4.5Lowest 5% above VT |
47.5±7Highest 10% above VT |
| Orwell and Sudbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±7.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
20.5%±5.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
21.8%±5.4 VT: 17.9% |
| Sudbury and Orwell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.8%±4.9 VT: 21.4% |
21%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
24%±3.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Orwell and Sudbury 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% |
54.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
22.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4 VT: 7% |
5.7%±2.7Highest VT: 7% |
3.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 7% |
| Williston 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 |
$106,967±$12kHighest 32% above VT |
$70,417±$22kLowest 13% below VT |
| Williston 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 |
$475,800±$40kHighest 50% above VT |
$335,600±$25kLowest 6% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,832±$130Highest 48% above VT |
$1,105±$51Lowest 10% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,205 17% below VT |
$5,592Highest 11% above VT |
$3,914Lowest 22% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±17.4 VT: 48.4% |
62.1%±35.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Orwell and Williston 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% |
4.3% VT: 10.1% |
10.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
75.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
87.3% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest 1 yr newer than VT |
1993Highest 17 yrs newer than VT |
1982 6 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 50 minHighest 113% above VT |
20 minLowest 16% below VT |
27 min 15% above VT |
| Work from home | 13.2%±9.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
22.3%±7.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
13.3%±7.2 VT: 16.9% |
| Williston 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 | — | #11 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | — | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | 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.