1st Advantage MortgageIn Orange County, Vermont, the typical household earns $82,232 a year and the typical rent is $1,173. A loan makes sense only if its total cost beats your alternatives and the payment fits your budget. Check the lender's Vermont license first.
On this page
- Orange County by the numbers
- How Orange County residents earn a living
- What Orange County households earn
- Rent, home values and ownership in Orange County
- Places inside Orange County
- Orange County next to its neighbors
- What a median Orange County budget can carry
- Before borrowing in Orange County
- People and households in Orange County
- Steps before you apply in Orange County
- Who licenses lenders for Orange County residents
- Related local guides
- Frequently asked questions
Orange County by the numbers
Roughly 29,761 residents live in Orange County, Vermont, 10th by population among the state's 14 counties and county equivalents. Land area is 687 square miles (2024 Gazetteer), so density runs near 43 per square mile. Under the July 2023 OMB definitions, Orange County is not part of any metropolitan area. Thetford is the biggest of its 18 Census places, at roughly 2,813 people (9% of the county total).
How Orange County residents earn a living
By the Census industry count, 33% of employed Orange County residents work in education and health care and 12% in retail trade. Education and health care stands out: 33% of workers here, versus 29% statewide. Averaged over the five survey years, 2.3% of the labor force was out of work and looking. 17% of commuters travel 45 minutes or more each way, and 15% work from home. 3.9% of households have no vehicle.
| Industry | Share of Orange County workers | vs Vermont |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 32.7% | +3.9 pts |
| Retail trade | 12.0% | +1.0 pts |
| Construction | 10.4% | +2.5 pts |
| Manufacturing | 7.7% | -2.2 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 6.8% | -3.2 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 6.0% | -2.9 pts |
If your hours swing with the season or with overtime, size a loan payment against your base pay, not your best month.
What Orange County households earn
Orange County households have a median income of $82,232 (ACS 2020 to 2024), which ranks 5th of 14 in Vermont.
| Households earning | Orange County | +/- vs Vermont |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 17.8% | -2.4 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 43.5% | +4.1 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 30.4% | +1.0 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 8.3% | -2.8 pts |
About 18% of households earn under $35,000, while 39% clear $100,000. 9.3% of residents fall below the federal poverty line (statewide: 10.1%). Income inequality, measured by the Gini index, comes to 0.413 here. If your income is irregular, as it often is with tips, gig work or seasonal jobs, plan around your leaner months rather than the Orange County median.
Rent, home values and ownership in Orange County
Renters in Orange County pay a median of $1,173 a month, 5% below the Vermont figure of $1,234. By the Census definition, 53% of Orange County renters are cost-burdened. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $271,300, about 3.3 times the median household income. 83% of Orange County households own their home and 17% rent. Half the housing stock was built before 1978.
| Cost | Orange County | Vermont figure | Median county, U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $1,173/mo | $1,234/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $271,300 | $316,600 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 83% | 73% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 53% | 48% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 28% | 29% | n/a |
| Mobile homes | 9.3% | 5.9% | n/a |
| Vacant units | 15% | 19% | n/a |
In an owner-heavy county like Orange County, many borrowers can also choose a home equity loan or line of credit. Those can price lower but put the house on the line, so compare the two in writing; our personal loan vs. HELOC guide walks through it. High rent burdens leave little slack. If you are borrowing to consolidate, make sure the new payment is lower than the ones it replaces.
Places inside Orange County
18 Census places fall mainly inside Orange County; the 14 biggest are below. They account for 20,021 residents, leaving about 33% of the county in unincorporated, unnamed areas. Strafford has the highest median household income on the list ($110,833) and Washington the lowest ($66,103), counting places with at least 500 residents. None of the 18 has its own city guide, so this page covers all of them.
| Place | Type | Population | Median income | Median rent | From county center |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thetford | town | 2,813 | $88,045 | $1,141 | 13 mi |
| Randolph | CDP | 2,007 | $75,069 | $1,095 | 16 mi |
| Williamstown | CDP | 1,660 | $79,358 | $1,717 | 12 mi |
| Corinth | town | 1,539 | $89,167 | $1,267 | 5 mi |
| Brookfield | town | 1,486 | $98,500 | $975 | 11 mi |
| Strafford | town | 1,372 | $110,833 | $1,125 | 9 mi |
| Tunbridge | town | 1,253 | $89,464 | $1,346 | 9 mi |
| Bradford | CDP | 1,097 | $104,306 | $1,039 | 12 mi |
| Washington | town | 1,056 | $66,103 | $996 | 6 mi |
| Braintree | town | 1,026 | $79,803 | $840 | 17 mi |
| Topsham | town | 999 | $72,308 | $908 | 12 mi |
| Orange | town | 957 | $71,302 | $1,330 | 11 mi |
| Vershire | town | 842 | $71,618 | $1,117 | 4 mi |
| West Fairlee | town | 711 | $76,500 | $1,113 | 9 mi |
Orange County next to its neighbors
The six counties whose centers lie closest to Orange County's, from 22 to 44 miles away. Addison County leads the group on income ($89,639), Rutland County trails ($68,616), and Orange County out-earns 3 of the six. Some neighbors are in New Hampshire. Lender licensing is state by state, so a loan for a Orange County resident follows Vermont rules.
| County | Distance | Median income | Median rent | Owners |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Orange County | - | $82,232 | $1,173/mo | 83% |
| Washington County, VT | 22 mi | $83,449 | $1,163/mo | 74% |
| Grafton County, NH | 27 mi | $88,261 | $1,301/mo | 71% |
| Windsor County, VT | 32 mi | $77,594 | $1,118/mo | 75% |
| Caledonia County, VT | 35 mi | $69,970 | $920/mo | 79% |
| Addison County, VT | 38 mi | $89,639 | $1,177/mo | 79% |
| Rutland County, VT | 44 mi | $68,616 | $1,000/mo | 75% |
What a median Orange County budget can carry
The debt-to-income ratio is the main affordability test lenders use. Applied to Orange County's medians:
- $6,853 a month: gross income for a household at the Orange County median
- Housing at the median rent of $1,173 uses 17%
- With a 40% ceiling, about $1,568 remains for car, card, student and any new loan payments
Two-income households and single earners in Orange County land in very different places on this math, so run it for your own budget.
Before borrowing in Orange County
The county's numbers point to a few situations that come up often for Orange County borrowers.
- Older households. A 46.9 median age means fixed-income borrowing is common; a fixed payment and short term limit risk.
- 53% rent-burdened. A payment on top of high rent needs a cushion; size it with the calculator.
- Paperwork. ID, proof of income and a bank account are the basics (requirements).
People and households in Orange County
38% of Orange County adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or more. About 4% go without health insurance.
| Measure | Orange County | Vermont statewide | Typical U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 46.9 | 43.1 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 38.4% | 43.8% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 5.2% | 5.1% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 4.4% | 3.9% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 3.9% | 6.2% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 15.4% | 16.9% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 9.3% | 10.1% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 2.3% | 3.6% | 4.4% |
| Minutes to work | Orange County workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 24.3% |
| 15 to 29 min | 34.5% |
| 30 to 44 min | 24.6% |
| 45 to 59 min | 10.1% |
| 60+ min | 6.6% |
Steps before you apply in Orange County
Quick steps for Orange County:
- Size the loan to the bill, not to the most a lender offers.
- Line up offers side by side: APR, fees in dollars, total cost.
- Only work with lenders licensed for Vermont borrowers.
- Never pay a fee up front to get a loan.
Who licenses lenders for Orange County residents
The Vermont Department of Financial Regulation is the place to verify any lender's Vermont license. A CFPB complaint gets forwarded to the company for a response. More on Vermont: Vermont personal loans.
Related local guides
The Vermont guide covers the whole state.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median household income in Orange County?
$82,232 a year in the 2020 to 2024 Census survey, versus $81,203 for Vermont. It ranks 5th of 14 in the state.
How much is rent in Orange County?
Median gross rent, utilities included, is $1,173 a month; 53% of renters spend 30% or more of income on it.
I live in a small Orange County town. Is this my guide?
Yes. If your town has no city guide, this county page is the local one; it covers Thetford, Randolph, Williamstown, Corinth, Brookfield and 13 more.
Will a Orange County address affect my match?
Beyond confirming Vermont as your state, no. Your answers about amount, credit, income and payments are all that count.
Who do I complain to about a lender in Orange County?
Start with the Vermont Department of Financial Regulation, then the CFPB complaint portal. Keep copies of every message.