What stands out worked out from the figures below

Brattleboro has the most affordable homes ($257k median).

Montpelier has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.8%).

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	Brattleboro	Montpelier
People
Population	12,122Highest	8,014Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+1.1%Lowest VT: +2.8%	+2.8%Highest VT: +2.8%
Median age	45.6±4.5Highest 6% above VT	42.3±2.4Lowest about the VT average
	Brattleboro and Montpelier are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	19%±2.8Highest VT: 17.9%	17.9%±2.5Lowest VT: 17.9%
	Brattleboro and Montpelier are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	25.5%±3.2Highest VT: 21.4%	24.3%±3.6Lowest VT: 21.4%
	Brattleboro and Montpelier are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	46.5%Lowest VT: 43.8%	66.1%Highest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.1%±1.6Lowest VT: 7%	5%±1.6Highest VT: 7%
	Montpelier and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$58,241±$8kLowest 28% below VT	$81,030±$6kHighest about the VT average
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$257,300±$18kLowest 19% below VT	$375,100±$21kHighest 18% above VT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,074±$58Lowest 13% below VT	$1,302±$113Highest 6% above VT
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,700Lowest 13% above VT	$6,936Highest 38% above VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	46.9%±9.6Highest VT: 48.4%	42.4%±9.5Lowest VT: 48.4%
	Brattleboro and Montpelier are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	17.8%Highest VT: 10.1%	6.5%Lowest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	58.5%Highest VT: 73.2%	53.1%Lowest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1955 21 yrs older than VT	1955 21 yrs older than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	19 minHighest 19% below VT	18 minLowest 23% below VT
Work from home	17.9%±4Lowest VT: 16.9%	26.9%±5Highest VT: 16.9%
	Montpelier and Brattleboro 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	#33 of 70 in VT	#9 of 70 in VT
School district	Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96	Montpelier Roxbury Unified Union School District #71
High school in town	Brattleboro Union High School	Montpelier High School
Students per teacherat that high school	9.0Lowest	10.4Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.