Compare towns
Calais vs Montpelier vs Putney
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Calais has the most homeowners (92.4%).
Montpelier has the most renters (46.9% rent).
Putney has the most affordable homes ($300k median).
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 | Calais | Montpelier | Putney |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,713Lowest |
8,014Highest |
2,622 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.4%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+2.8% VT: +2.8% |
-3.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42±8.6 about the VT average |
42.3±2.4Highest about the VT average |
37.2±5.2Lowest 14% below VT |
| Montpelier and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.5%±5.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
17.9%±2.5 VT: 17.9% |
15.4%±4.1Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Calais and Montpelier are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.6%±5.2 VT: 21.4% |
24.3%±3.6Highest VT: 21.4% |
18.1%±3.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Montpelier and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.4% VT: 43.8% |
66.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.4%±3.4 VT: 7% |
5%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
20.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $100,625±$27kHighest 24% above VT |
$81,030±$6k about the VT average |
$79,706±$18kLowest about the VT average |
| Calais and Montpelier are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $390,300±$36kHighest 23% above VT |
$375,100±$21k 18% above VT |
$300,000±$44kLowest 5% below VT |
| Calais and Montpelier are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,408±$392Highest 14% above VT |
$1,302±$113 6% above VT |
$508±$482Lowest 59% below VT |
| Calais and Montpelier are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,586 31% above VT |
$6,936Highest 38% above VT |
$5,313Lowest 5% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49%±38.3 VT: 48.4% |
42.4%±9.5Lowest VT: 48.4% |
54.2%±19.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Putney and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.8% VT: 10.1% |
6.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
16%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
53.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
72.8% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 same as VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 32% above VT |
18 min 23% below VT |
18 minLowest 24% below VT |
| Work from home | 23.4%±7.1 VT: 16.9% |
26.9%±5Highest VT: 16.9% |
16.9%±6.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Montpelier and Calais 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 | — | #9 of 70 in VT | #32 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Montpelier Roxbury Unified Union School District #71 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 |
| High school in town | None in town | Montpelier High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.4 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.