Compare towns
Wells River vs Windham vs Worcester 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).
Windham has the most expensive homes ($354k median).
Worcester has the most people working from home (23.6%).
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 | Windham | Worcester | Orleans |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 340Lowest |
594 |
831Highest |
809 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | — | -3.4%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.7±12.7 about the VT average |
44.2±7.4 about the VT average |
47±2.7Highest 9% above VT |
41.7±5.8Lowest 3% below VT |
| Worcester and Windham 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% |
17.5%±7.9 VT: 17.9% |
12.8%±3.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
17.9%±4.5Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Orleans and Windham 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% |
23.2%±8.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.5%±2.5 VT: 21.4% |
19.7%±3.2 VT: 21.4% |
| Windham and Orleans 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% |
48.1% VT: 43.8% |
53%Highest VT: 43.8% |
24.8% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.6%±3.1Lowest VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.1 VT: 7% |
6.9%±4.7Highest VT: 7% |
3.7%±2.1 VT: 7% |
| Worcester and Orleans 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 |
$94,500±$12kHighest 16% above VT |
$73,833±$18k 9% below VT |
$57,159±$10k 30% below VT |
| Windham and Worcester 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 |
$353,900±$20kHighest 12% above VT |
$271,100±$27k 14% below VT |
$156,300±$18kLowest 51% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $900±$336 27% below VT |
— | $1,023±$136Highest 17% below VT |
$810±$94Lowest 34% below VT |
| Worcester and Wells River 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 |
$5,951Highest 18% above VT |
$4,421 12% below VT |
$3,019Lowest 40% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.6%±14.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
41.2%±94 VT: 48.4% |
25.5%±37Lowest VT: 48.4% |
27.3%±17.2 VT: 48.4% |
| Wells River and Windham 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% |
9.9% VT: 10.1% |
5.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.2% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 47.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
82.9% VT: 73.2% |
85.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
64.1% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1976 same as VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 43% above VT |
27 minLowest 14% above VT |
29 min 22% above VT |
31 min 33% above VT |
| Work from home | 5.2%±9.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
20.5%±5.6 VT: 16.9% |
23.6%±4.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
8.3%±3.7 VT: 16.9% |
| Worcester and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | — | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | — |
| High school in town | — | — | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.