Compare towns
Whiting vs Middlebury vs Orwell
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 most affordable homes ($280k median).
Middlebury has the most people working from home (18.8%).
Orwell has the most homeowners (87.3%).
Middlebury is a college town. 32.6% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Middlebury | Orwell |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 532Lowest |
9,175Highest |
1,294 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +7.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-0.9%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 39.6±2.7 8% below VT |
31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
47.5±7Highest 10% above VT |
| Orwell and Whiting 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% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
21.8%±5.4 VT: 17.9% |
| Whiting and Orwell 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% |
20.7%±2.6 VT: 21.4% |
24%±3.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Orwell and Middlebury 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% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
22.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±4 VT: 7% |
32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
3.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,250±$38kHighest 12% above VT |
$86,169±$16k 6% above VT |
$70,417±$22kLowest 13% below VT |
| Whiting and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $280,400±$36kLowest 11% below VT |
$409,700±$30kHighest 29% above VT |
$335,600±$25k 6% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,204±$519Highest about the VT average |
$1,156±$113 6% below VT |
$1,105±$51Lowest 10% below VT |
| Whiting and Middlebury 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 |
$6,868Highest 36% above VT |
$3,914Lowest 22% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.3%±37.3 VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±14.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
62.1%±35.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Orwell and Whiting are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
10.7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
10.8% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 65.4% VT: 73.2% |
65.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
87.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 1 yr older than VT |
1976 same as VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 7% below VT |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
27 minHighest 15% above VT |
| Work from home | 10%±5.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
18.8%±4.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
13.3%±7.2 VT: 16.9% |
| Middlebury and Orwell 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 | — | #17 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53 | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 |
| High school in town | None in town | Middlebury Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.6 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.