Total enrollment
3,532
-66 (-2%) vs SY 2020-21
Orange County
Vermont · Public K-12
Orange County's school count of 21 reflects a public K-12 system serving about 3,532 students inside Vermont, around 12% of the county population. By level, that breaks down as 13 elementary, 2 middle, and 5 high schools.
4-year change in Orange County
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25School count
19
0 (0%) vs SY 2020-21
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
How Orange County ranks
Among counties| Measure | This county | In Vermont | In the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 3,532 | #11 of 12 | #1,672 of 2,745 |
| Number of schools ranked most first | 19 | #8 of 12 | N/A |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 9.6:1 | #2 of 12 | #81 of 2,655 |
| Free or reduced-price lunch share ranked highest first | 55.5% | #4 of 12 | #1,324 of 2,526 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 11.7% | #11 of 11 | #2,474 of 2,707 |
Counties need at least 3 schools and 1,000 students to be ranked. Test proficiency is ranked within the state only, since each state gives a different test. Each rank links to the full list.
Orange County school rankings
Residents
29,761
all ages · ACS 5-yr
Schools
21
10 districts
Enrollment
3,532
students · NCES CCD
Median income
$82,232
Above Vermont avg
Free/reduced lunch
55.5%
Above Vermont avg
Elementary
13
2,044 students
Middle
2
169 students
High
5
927 students
Combined / other
1
392 students
LARGEST DISTRICT
Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59
810 students · 10 districts in Orange County
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of Orange County residents (Census ACS 5-year). Right bar is the enrollment-weighted makeup of public schools in the county (NCES CCD). NCES systematically under-reports Hispanic, Pacific Islander, and Native American enrollment for many schools; where the resident share is meaningful but the reported school share is zero, we mark the school bar "not reported".
County residents
School enrollment
Bachelor's+
38.4%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
5.9%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
2.3%
civilian labor
Median age
47
17.8% under 18
Test scores in Orange County
Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 17 schools ranked. Vermont state average: 50.6%.
Top 5 schools (ELA)
- Braintree School· 76.6%
- Newton School· 67.0%
- Brookfield School· 60.8%
- Thetford Elementary School· 55.0%
- Williamstown Elementary School· 55.0%
Lowest 5 schools (ELA)
- Orange Center School· 39.6%
- Westshire Elementary School· 42.8%
- Samuel Morey Elementary School· 44.2%
- Oxbow Union High School· 45.6%
- Williamstown Middle/High School· 45.6%
| Name | City | Level | Grades | Enrollment | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Mountain Union School | Wells River | Combined | PK-12 | 392 | · |
| Randolph Union High School | Randolph | High | 07-12 | 344 | · |
| Oxbow Union High School | Bradford | High | 07-12 | 322 | · |
| Randolph Elementary School | Randolph | Elementary | PK-06 | 289 | · |
| Waits River Valley Union School | East Corinth | Elementary | PK-08 | 265 | · |
| Williamstown Middle/High School | Williamstown | High | 06-12 | 261 | · |
| Williamstown Elementary School | Williamstown | Elementary | PK-05 | 231 | · |
| Bradford Elementary School | Bradford | Elementary | PK-06 | 216 | · |
| Thetford Elementary School | Thetford | Elementary | PK-06 | 187 | · |
| First Branch Elementary School | Tunbridge | Elementary | PK-04 | 141 | · |
| Washington Village School | Washington | Elementary | PK-04 | 120 | · |
| Newton School | South Strafford | Elementary | PK-08 | 116 | · |
| Newbury Elementary School | Newbury | Elementary | PK-06 | 112 | · |
| Samuel Morey Elementary School | Fairlee | Elementary | PK-05 | 108 | · |
| Brookfield School | Brookfield | Elementary | PK-06 | 89 | · |
| First Branch Middle School | Chelsea | Middle | 05-08 | 89 | · |
| Braintree School | Braintree | Elementary | PK-06 | 88 | · |
| Westshire Elementary School | West Fairlee | Elementary | PK-05 | 82 | · |
| Orange Center School | East Barre | Middle | 05-08 | 80 | · |
| Randolph Technical Career Center | Randolph | High | 09-12 | 0 | · |
| River Bend Career & Technical Center | Bradford | High | 09-12 | 0 | · |
Cities in Orange County
About Orange County
Orange County is a sparse county of about 29,761 residents in Vermont. Its public-school system educates approximately 3,532 students across 21 schools.
Looking at the wider area, census numbers show typical household earnings sit around $82,232, roughly 38% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and roughly 6% of residents live below the federal poverty line. That income level is 5% above the Vermont median.
In terms of grade levels, Orange County comprises 13 elementary schools (2,044 students), 2 middle schools (169), 5 high schools (927), and 1 combined or other schools.
Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 is the biggest district by enrollment, covering about 810 students across Orange County.
Looking at the last 4 years. Across the same 4-year window, public-school enrollment stayed largely flat: 3,598 students in SY 2020-21 versus 3,532 in SY 2024-25.
Within the allk12 community for this area, the community for Orange County discusses open enrollment windows, redistricting talk, and busing logistics. Discussions cut across districts, schools, and grade levels.
Frequently asked questions
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data