Compare towns
Berlin vs Upton vs Douglas 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 affordable homes ($274k median).
Upton has the most expensive homes ($577k median).
Montpelier has the most renters (46.9% rent).
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 | Upton | Douglas | Montpelier |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,880Lowest |
8,189 |
9,207Highest |
8,014 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.6±2.4Highest 30% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
44±2.6 13% above U.S. |
42.3±2.4Lowest 9% above U.S. |
| Berlin and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.6%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.2%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
17.9%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Douglas 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% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.4%±3.1Lowest 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% |
53.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
41.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
66.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Douglas 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. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$152,267±$10k 89% above U.S. |
$81,030±$6kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Upton and Douglas 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. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$470,600±$29k 41% above U.S. |
$375,100±$21k 13% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,169±$171 17% below U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,503±$697Highest 6% above U.S. |
$1,302±$113 8% below U.S. |
| Douglas and Montpelier are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,418Lowest 42% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$6,338 103% above U.S. |
$6,936 122% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41%±19.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
33.9%±17.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.4%±9.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Upton 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% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
83.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
53.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 20% below U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
34 min 28% above U.S. |
18 minLowest 31% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.7%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
20.9%±4.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
26.9%±5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Montpelier and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #16 of 70 in VT | #46 of 282 in MA | #177 of 282 in MA | #9 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Douglas | Montpelier Roxbury Unified Union School District #71 |
| High school in town | None in town | Blackstone Valley | Douglas High School | Montpelier High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2Highest |
7.2Lowest |
10.4 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.