What stands out worked out from the figures below

Brandon has the most homeowners (84.3%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Brandon	Montpelier
People
Population	4,120Lowest	8,014Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.1%Highest VT: +2.8%	+2.8%Lowest VT: +2.8%
Median age	50.1±3.1Highest 16% above VT	42.3±2.4Lowest about the VT average
Kids under 18	19.2%±4.3Highest VT: 17.9%	17.9%±2.5Lowest VT: 17.9%
	Brandon and Montpelier are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	22.3%±4.1Lowest VT: 21.4%	24.3%±3.6Highest VT: 21.4%
	Montpelier and Brandon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	32.1%Lowest VT: 43.8%	66.1%Highest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.5%±1.7Lowest VT: 7%	5%±1.6Highest VT: 7%
	Montpelier and Brandon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$64,180±$12kLowest 21% below VT	$81,030±$6kHighest about the VT average
	Montpelier and Brandon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$227,800±$23kLowest 28% below VT	$375,100±$21kHighest 18% above VT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,064±$225Lowest 14% below VT	$1,302±$113Highest 6% above VT
	Montpelier and Brandon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,241Lowest 16% below VT	$6,936Highest 38% above VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	41.7%±15.1Lowest VT: 48.4%	42.4%±9.5Highest VT: 48.4%
	Montpelier and Brandon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	14.2%Highest VT: 10.1%	6.5%Lowest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	84.3%Highest VT: 73.2%	53.1%Lowest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1951Lowest 25 yrs older than VT	1955Highest 21 yrs older than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minHighest about the VT average	18 minLowest 23% below VT
Work from home	9.9%±5.7Lowest VT: 16.9%	26.9%±5Highest VT: 16.9%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#69 of 70 in VT	#9 of 70 in VT
School district	Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53	Montpelier Roxbury Unified Union School District #71
High school in town	Otter Valley Union High School	Montpelier High School
Students per teacherat that high school	9.9Lowest	10.4Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

VT 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.