Town · Vermont
Orwell, Vermont
Orwell, town, in Addison County, Vermont. Orwell had 1,250 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 0.4% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 1,239 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 1,294 (±187). GEOID 5000153725.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
1,250
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 1,239 · ACS 2020-2024: 1,294 ±187
Median household income
$70,417
±$22,458 (90% margin)
Vermont: $81,203
Median home value
$335,600
±$24,584 (90% margin)
Vermont: $316,600
Median gross rent
$1,105
±$51 (90% margin)
Vermont: $1,234
Where is Orwell and what county is it in?
Orwell is a town in Addison County, Vermont. It covers 47.2 square miles of land, 26 residents per square mile in 2020.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Orwell, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 1,250 people lived in Orwell on July 1, 2025, up 0.4% since 2020, in line with Vermont (+0.2%). The 2020 Census counted 1,239 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 1,294 (±187).
| Measure | Orwell | Addison County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 1,294±187 | 37,664 | no clear change |
| Households | 519±67 | 14,966 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.49±0.27 | 2.30 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 656±75 | 17,617 | no clear change |
Orwell's population since 2000
From 1,185 in 2000 to 1,250 in 2025: up 5.5%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Orwell as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Orwell?
The median resident of Orwell is 47.5 years old; 21.8% are under 18 and 24.0% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 93.7%, then non-Hispanic residents of two or more races at 3.0%. 1.6% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Orwell | Addison County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 47.5±7.0 | 44.1 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 21.8%±5.9 pts | 16.0% | – |
| 65 years and over | 24.0%±5.8 pts | 22.6% | – |
| Male | 49.1%±4.7 pts | 49.9% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 1.1%±1.3 pts | 3.2% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 93.7%±3.5 pts | 89.6% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 1.5%±2.0 pts | 0.9% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.7%±0.9 pts | 1.8% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±1.9 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±1.9 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 3.0%±2.1 pts | 4.0% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±1.9 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 1.6%±1.0 pts | 4.8% | −2.5 pts |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 1.3%±1.0 pts | 6.4% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 8.9%±4.1 pts | 5.5% | – |
| With a disability | 12.2%±4.7 pts | 15.3% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 2.3%±1.9 pts | 4.6% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 96.9%±2.0 pts | 95.5% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 22.1%±5.5 pts | 43.6% | −11.7 pts |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 10.2%±3.1 pts | 18.6% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 95.7%±3.6 pts | 90.0% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.2%±0.4 pts | 4.5% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Orwell earn?
Half of Orwell's 519 households earn less than $70,417 a year (±$22,458), against $89,639 in Addison County and $81,203 in Vermont. In 2015-2019 it was $74,303 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 10.8% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Orwell | Addison County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $70,417±$22,458 | $89,639 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $89,191±$12,488 | $110,233 | – |
| Per capita income | $37,944±$4,625 | $44,917 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 10.8%±5.4 pts | 7.6% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 11.8%±12.6 pts | 6.7% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 7.5%±4.7 pts | 8.7% | – |
| Households with a computer | 97.5%±1.8 pts | 96.1% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 93.4%±2.9 pts | 91.4% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Orwell?
Owners occupy 87.3% of Orwell's occupied homes and renters 12.7%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $335,600 by its owner (±$24,584). The median renter pays $1,105 a month including utilities, and 56.1% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Orwell | Addison County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $335,600±$24,584 | $361,200 | +$71,862 |
| Median gross rent | $1,105±$51 | $1,177 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 56.1%±23.9 pts | 37.3% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,968±$324 | $2,024 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 87.3%±6.1 pts | 79.3% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 12.7%±6.1 pts | 20.7% | – |
| Housing units | 656±75 | 17,617 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0%±5.4 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0%±30.5 pts | 3.4% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 92.5%±3.9 pts | 76.8% | – |
| Mobile homes | 5.5%±3.3 pts | 7.0% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0%±3.7 pts | 1.2% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 9.5%±6.6 pts | 7.3% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 31.3%±7.0 pts | 25.9% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 3.1%±2.1 pts | 4.9% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Orwell building?
Builders took permits for 3 new housing units in Orwell in 2025 (3 in single-family houses), 2.4 per 1,000 residents against 3.6 across Vermont.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Orwell work and get to work?
74.7% of Orwell's workers drive alone and 13.3% work from home. The average trip to work takes 27.0 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 5.5%.
| Measure | Orwell | Addison County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 66.6%±5.0 pts | 64.4% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 5.5%±3.3 pts | 3.8% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 74.7%±7.9 pts | 66.6% | – |
| Carpooled | 2.9%±2.0 pts | 7.7% | – |
| Public transportation | 1.1%±1.4 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Walked | 5.1%±3.6 pts | 6.6% | – |
| Worked from home | 13.3%±6.6 pts | 17.4% | no clear change |
| Mean travel time to work | 27.0 min±3.8 | 23.6 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Orwell?
No census tract lies mostly in Orwell; 1 tract reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9609Addison County | 5,538 | $89,348 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Orwell) · Census block assignment files
How does Orwell compare with other places in Vermont?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Orwell is the 6,720th-most populous of the 16,079 U.S. towns and townships that have one and the 134th-most populous of 237 in Vermont.
Orwell ranks 138th of 198 places in Vermont with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 134th | 237 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 70th | 173 |
| Residents per square mile | 191st | 202 |
| Median household income | 138th | 198 |
| Per capita income | 139th | 202 |
| Median home value | 68th | 201 |
| Median gross rent | 103rd | 187 |
| Poverty rate | 71st | 162 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 181st | 200 |
| Median age | 76th | 202 |
| Owner-occupied share | 46th | 201 |
| Work from home | 119th | 185 |
| Travel time to work | 70th | 202 |
Orwell's figures with every place in Vermont (CSV)
Every place in Vermont, sortable · Compare Orwell with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Orwell?
19 of the 57 figures for Orwell on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Orwell are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' school search.