The Town FilesOrleans, Vermont
Village in Orleans County · population 788 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $156,300
- Household income
- $57,159
- Jan low / Jul high
- 4° / 78°
- Snow a year
- 112 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 2
- Median age
- 41.7
Orleans is a village of 788 people in Orleans County, Vermont. The median home is worth $156,300, below the typical Vermont town ($278,700). It ranks easier by car than 84% of Vermont towns, hipper than 83% of Vermont towns, more walkable than 76% of Vermont towns.
How Orleans ranks
Percentile among Vermont towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Vermont towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Orleans is worth $156,300, below the typical Vermont town ($278,700). Homes cost about 2.7 times the median household income of $57,159, which is more affordable than 94% of Vermont towns. Median rent is $810 a month. 64.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Orleans | Typical Vermont town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $156,300 | $278,700 |
| Median rent | $810 | $1,117 |
| Median household income | $57,159 | $76,895 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.7× | 3.6× |
| Homeownership | 64.1% | 81.6% |
| Median year built | 1938 | 1976 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 3.1% | — |
Who lives in Orleans
| People | Orleans | Typical Vermont town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.7 | 45.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.7% | 22.2% |
| Under 18 | 17.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 24.8% | 38.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 8.2% | 8.6% |
| Veterans | 13.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.5% | — |
| Work from home | 8.2% | 14.9% |
| Average commute | 31.3 min | 25.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 89.3% | 89.3% |
Weather in Orleans
July highs average 77.7°F and January lows 3.9°F. About 43.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 112.1 inches of snow (typical Vermont town: 84.3 in). Expect about 3 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 171 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Orleans since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical Vermont town. The strongest, an F1, struck on May 20, 1962 about 4.5 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 29, 2012.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 16 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on July 21, 2022.
Severe weather in Orleans County since 1996
Orleans County has been included in 33 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 26, 2024 | Flood | DR-4826: Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| August 20, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4810: Severe Storm, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| August 8, 2024 | Tropical Storm | EM-3609: Tropical Depression Debby |
| April 19, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4770: Severe Winter Storm |
| March 2, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4762: Severe Storm And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Orleans County
Orleans County had 10,532 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $51,363 a year. Unemployment was 3.4% in 2023; in Orleans itself the ACS puts it at 5%.
Public schools in Orleans
2 public schools with 454 students, about 11.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Region Union High School | 9-12 | 348 | 11.2 |
| Orleans Elementary School | PK-8 | 106 | 11.8 |
Towns near Orleans
- Barton, VT3.6 mi · 2,872 people · home $201,200
- Brownington, VT3.8 mi · 1,042 people · home $193,800
- Irasburg, VT4.2 mi · 1,233 people · home $230,800
- Barton, VT4.3 mi · 690 people · home $146,900
- Coventry, VT5.7 mi · 1,100 people · home $197,900
- Albany, VT8.4 mi · 976 people · home $231,500
- Newport, VT8.9 mi · 4,455 people · home $179,400
- Glover, VT9.1 mi · 1,114 people · home $264,700
Orleans questions
Is Orleans, Vermont a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Orleans scores better for retirees than 50% of Vermont towns and quieter than 33%. 19.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 41.7).
How much does a house cost in Orleans?
The median owner-occupied home in Orleans is valued at $156,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $57,159, so homes cost about 2.7 times income. Median rent is $810 a month.
What is the weather like in Orleans?
July highs average 77.7°F and January lows 3.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 43.8 inches of precipitation a year and 112.1 inches of snow.
Does Orleans get tornadoes?
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Orleans since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on May 20, 1962. The typical Vermont town has had 2.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)