Compare towns
Wells River vs Putney 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).
Putney has the most people working from home (16.9%).
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 | Putney | Orleans |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 340Lowest |
2,622Highest |
809 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -3.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.7±12.7Highest about the VT average |
37.2±5.2Lowest 14% below VT |
41.7±5.8 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%±6.5 VT: 17.9% |
15.4%±4.1Lowest 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%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
18.1%±3.8Lowest 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% |
48.6%Highest VT: 43.8% |
24.8% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.6%±3.1Lowest VT: 7% |
20.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
3.7%±2.1 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $38,688±$5kLowest 52% below VT |
$79,706±$18kHighest about the VT average |
$57,159±$10k 30% below VT |
| Putney 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 |
$300,000±$44kHighest 5% below VT |
$156,300±$18kLowest 51% below VT |
| Putney and Wells River 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 |
$508±$482Lowest 59% below VT |
$810±$94 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 | $4,154 18% below VT |
$5,313Highest 5% above VT |
$3,019Lowest 40% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.6%±14.8 VT: 48.4% |
54.2%±19.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
27.3%±17.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Putney 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% |
16% VT: 10.1% |
8.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 47.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
72.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
64.1% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 43% above VT |
18 minLowest 24% below VT |
31 min 33% above VT |
| Work from home | 5.2%±9.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
16.9%±6.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
8.3%±3.7 VT: 16.9% |
| Putney and Orleans 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 | — | #32 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | — | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 6 photos → | 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.