What stands out worked out from the figures below

Chester has the most homeowners (86.7%).

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	Chester	Montpelier
People
Population	2,992Lowest	8,014Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-4.7%Lowest VT: +2.8%	+2.8%Highest VT: +2.8%
Median age	49.7±4.7Highest 15% above VT	42.3±2.4Lowest about the VT average
Kids under 18	14.1%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9%	17.9%±2.5Highest VT: 17.9%
	Montpelier and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	29.8%±7.9Highest VT: 21.4%	24.3%±3.6Lowest VT: 21.4%
	Chester and Montpelier are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	33.1%Lowest VT: 43.8%	66.1%Highest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.1%±4Highest VT: 7%	5%±1.6Lowest VT: 7%
	Chester and Montpelier are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$62,125±$8kLowest 23% below VT	$81,030±$6kHighest about the VT average
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$232,900±$44kLowest 26% below VT	$375,100±$21kHighest 18% above VT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$960±$44Lowest 22% below VT	$1,302±$113Highest 6% above VT
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,262Lowest 15% below VT	$6,936Highest 38% above VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	11.5%±12.3Lowest VT: 48.4%	42.4%±9.5Highest VT: 48.4%
Below poverty line	7%Highest VT: 10.1%	6.5%Lowest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	86.7%Highest VT: 73.2%	53.1%Lowest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1972Highest 4 yrs older than VT	1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minHighest 18% above VT	18 minLowest 23% below VT
Work from home	14%±6.9Lowest VT: 16.9%	26.9%±5Highest VT: 16.9%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#49 of 70 in VT	#9 of 70 in VT
School district	Green Mountain Unified School District #77	Montpelier Roxbury Unified Union School District #71
High school in town	Green Mountain Union High School	Montpelier High School
Students per teacherat that high school	8.7Lowest	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.