Compare towns
Wells River vs Brookline vs Orleans
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wells River has the most renters (52.1% rent).
Brookline has the most people working from home (20.6%).
Orleans has the most affordable homes ($156k median).
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 | Wells River | Brookline | Orleans |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 340Lowest |
531 |
809Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +1.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.7±12.7 about the VT average |
45.1±2.7Highest 5% above VT |
41.7±5.8Lowest 3% below VT |
| Brookline and Wells River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±6.5Lowest VT: 17.9% |
20%±6Highest VT: 17.9% |
17.9%±4.5 VT: 17.9% |
| Brookline and Orleans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
19.6%±4.2 VT: 21.4% |
19.7%±3.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Orleans and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 16.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
41.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
24.8% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.6%±3.1Lowest VT: 7% |
3.2%±1.6 VT: 7% |
3.7%±2.1Highest VT: 7% |
| Orleans and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $38,688±$5kLowest 52% below VT |
$80,833±$16kHighest about the VT average |
$57,159±$10k 30% below VT |
| Brookline and Orleans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $170,800±$103k 46% below VT |
$290,700±$37kHighest 8% below VT |
$156,300±$18kLowest 51% below VT |
| Brookline and Wells River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $900±$336 27% below VT |
$1,732±$232Highest 40% above VT |
$810±$94Lowest 34% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,154 18% below VT |
$5,000Highest about the VT average |
$3,019Lowest 40% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.6%±14.8 VT: 48.4% |
47.8%±94.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
27.3%±17.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Brookline and Wells River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 38.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
6.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.2% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 47.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
84.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
64.1% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1975Highest 1 yr older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 43% above VT |
28 minLowest 21% above VT |
31 min 33% above VT |
| Work from home | 5.2%±9.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
20.6%±5.2Highest VT: 16.9% |
8.3%±3.7 VT: 16.9% |
| 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.