Compare towns
Whiting vs Barre vs Orleans
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Whiting has the highest household income ($91k).
Barre has the most renters (49.6% rent).
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 | Whiting | Barre | Orleans |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 532Lowest |
8,412Highest |
809 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-3.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 39.6±2.7Lowest 8% below VT |
42.2±6.6Highest about the VT average |
41.7±5.8 3% below VT |
| Barre and Orleans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.5%±6.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
13.5%±3.8Lowest VT: 17.9% |
17.9%±4.5 VT: 17.9% |
| Whiting and Orleans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 13%±5.1Lowest VT: 21.4% |
19.4%±3.9 VT: 21.4% |
19.7%±3.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Orleans and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.9% VT: 43.8% |
36.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
24.8%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±4Highest VT: 7% |
3.4%±1.9Lowest VT: 7% |
3.7%±2.1 VT: 7% |
| Whiting and Orleans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,250±$38kHighest 12% above VT |
$65,625±$7k 19% below VT |
$57,159±$10kLowest 30% below VT |
| Whiting and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $280,400±$36kHighest 11% below VT |
$210,400±$15k 34% below VT |
$156,300±$18kLowest 51% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,204±$519Highest about the VT average |
$1,093±$58 11% below VT |
$810±$94Lowest 34% below VT |
| Whiting and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,227 16% below VT |
$5,192Highest 3% above VT |
$3,019Lowest 40% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.3%±37.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
34.4%±10.3 VT: 48.4% |
27.3%±17.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Whiting and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.5% VT: 10.1% |
17.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 65.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
64.1% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 1 yr older than VT |
1947 29 yrs older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 7% below VT |
19 minLowest 21% below VT |
31 minHighest 33% above VT |
| Work from home | 10%±5.4 VT: 16.9% |
10.5%±4.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
8.3%±3.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Barre and Whiting 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 | — | #19 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53 | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Spaulding Union High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.7 |
— |
| 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.