Compare towns
Berlin vs Dover vs Montpelier
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Berlin has the most homeowners (87.9%).
Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Montpelier has the most people working from home (26.9%).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Berlin | Dover | Montpelier |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,880Lowest |
33,364Highest |
8,014 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.6±2.4Highest 30% above U.S. |
36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
42.3±2.4 9% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 16.6%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
17.9%±2.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Montpelier and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.8%±4.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.3%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Berlin and Montpelier are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
52% U.S.: 35.7% |
66.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dover and Montpelier are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $86,691±$21k 7% above U.S. |
$94,829±$7kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$81,030±$6kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Dover and Berlin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $273,600±$31kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$436,700±$20kHighest 31% above U.S. |
$375,100±$21k 13% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,169±$171Lowest 17% below U.S. |
$1,607±$100Highest 14% above U.S. |
$1,302±$113 8% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,418Lowest 42% above U.S. |
$8,249Highest 164% above U.S. |
$6,936 122% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41%±19.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.6%±6.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.4%±9.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dover and Montpelier are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
53.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 20% below U.S. |
23 minHighest 14% below U.S. |
18 minLowest 31% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.7%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
26.9%±5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #16 of 70 in VT | #64 of 120 in NH | #9 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Dover School District | Montpelier Roxbury Unified Union School District #71 |
| High school in town | None in town | Dover Senior High School | Montpelier High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.7Highest |
10.4Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.