The Town FilesOrwell, Vermont
Town in Addison County · population 1,239 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $335,600
- Household income
- $70,417
- Jan low / Jul high
- 9° / 80°
- Snow a year
- 69 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 47.5
Orwell is a town of 1,239 people in Addison County, Vermont. The median home is worth $335,600, above the typical Vermont town ($278,700). It ranks better for a vacation home than 83% of Vermont towns, easier by car than 76% of Vermont towns, better for retirees than 75% of Vermont towns.
How Orwell 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 Orwell is worth $335,600, above the typical Vermont town ($278,700). Homes cost about 4.8 times the median household income of $70,417, which is more affordable than 13% of Vermont towns. Median rent is $1,105 a month. 87.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Orwell | Typical Vermont town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $335,600 | $278,700 |
| Median rent | $1,105 | $1,117 |
| Median household income | $70,417 | $76,895 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.8× | 3.6× |
| Homeownership | 87.3% | 81.6% |
| Median year built | 1982 | 1976 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 18.6% | — |
Who lives in Orwell
| People | Orwell | Typical Vermont town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 47.5 | 45.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 24.0% | 22.2% |
| Under 18 | 21.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 22.1% | 38.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 10.8% | 8.6% |
| Veterans | 8.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.6% | — |
| Work from home | 13.3% | 14.9% |
| Average commute | 27.0 min | 25.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 93.4% | 89.3% |
Weather in Orwell
July highs average 80.4°F and January lows 9.2°F. About 38.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 68.9 inches of snow (typical Vermont town: 84.3 in). Expect about 7 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 155 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Orwell since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical Vermont town. The strongest, an EF0, struck on July 13, 2023 about 3.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 13, 2023.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 19 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on August 28, 1988.
Severe weather in Addison County since 1996
Addison County has been included in 30 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| August 20, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4810: Severe Storm, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| August 8, 2024 | Tropical Storm | EM-3609: Tropical Depression Debby |
| October 6, 2023 | Flood | DR-4744: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| July 14, 2023 | Flood | DR-4720: Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| July 10, 2023 | Flood | EM-3595: Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Addison County
Addison County had 15,525 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $60,042 a year. Unemployment was 1.7% in 2023; in Orwell itself the ACS puts it at 5.5%.
Public schools in Orwell
1 public school with 118 students, about 14.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Orwell Village School | PK-6 | 118 | 14.8 |
Towns near Orwell
- Sudbury, VT5.2 mi · 545 people · home $338,500
- Shoreham, VT6.5 mi · 1,260 people · home $316,400
- Benson, VT7.0 mi · 974 people · home $242,000
- Ticonderoga, NY7.6 mi · 3,250 people · home $158,200
- Hubbardton, VT7.7 mi · 735 people · home $293,800
- Putnam, NY8.2 mi · 567 people · home $266,200
- Brandon, VT9.4 mi · 1,727 people · home $237,500
- Leicester, VT10.0 mi · 990 people · home $309,700
Orwell questions
Is Orwell, Vermont a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Orwell scores better for retirees than 75% of Vermont towns and quieter than 72%. 24.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 47.5).
How much does a house cost in Orwell?
The median owner-occupied home in Orwell is valued at $335,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $70,417, so homes cost about 4.8 times income. Median rent is $1,105 a month.
What is the weather like in Orwell?
July highs average 80.4°F and January lows 9.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 38.7 inches of precipitation a year and 68.9 inches of snow.
Does Orwell get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Orwell since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF0 on July 13, 2023. 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)