What stands out worked out from the figures below

Wells River has the most renters (52.1% rent).

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	Wells River	Orleans
People
Population	340Lowest	809Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	-3.7% VT: +2.8%
Median age	42.7±12.7Highest about the VT average	41.7±5.8Lowest 3% below VT
	Wells River and Orleans 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%	17.9%±4.5Highest VT: 17.9%
	Orleans and Wells River 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%	19.7%±3.2Highest VT: 21.4%
	Orleans and Wells River 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%	24.8%Highest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	0.6%±3.1Lowest VT: 7%	3.7%±2.1Highest VT: 7%
	Orleans and Wells River 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	$57,159±$10kHighest 30% below VT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$170,800±$103kHighest 46% below VT	$156,300±$18kLowest 51% below VT
	Wells River and Orleans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$900±$336Highest 27% below VT	$810±$94Lowest 34% below VT
	Wells River and Orleans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,154Highest 18% below VT	$3,019Lowest 40% below VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	47.6%±14.8Highest VT: 48.4%	27.3%±17.2Lowest VT: 48.4%
	Wells River and Orleans 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%	8.2%Lowest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	47.9%Lowest VT: 73.2%	64.1%Highest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1938 38 yrs older than VT	1938 38 yrs older than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	34 minHighest 43% above VT	31 minLowest 33% above VT
Work from home	5.2%±9.3Lowest VT: 16.9%	8.3%±3.7Highest VT: 16.9%
	Orleans and Wells River 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.