What stands out worked out from the figures below

Freeport has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.9%).

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.

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

Measure	Freeport	Montpelier
People
Population	8,802Highest	8,014Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+10.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+2.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	48.8±4.3Highest 25% above U.S.	42.3±2.4Lowest 9% above U.S.
	Freeport and Montpelier are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	19.4%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22%	17.9%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Freeport and Montpelier are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	26.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2%	24.3%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Freeport and Montpelier are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	59.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	66.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4%	5%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$107,326±$19kHighest 33% above U.S.	$81,030±$6kLowest about the U.S. average
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$508,400±$76kHighest 53% above U.S.	$375,100±$21kLowest 13% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,439±$123Highest about the U.S. average	$1,302±$113Lowest 8% below U.S.
	Freeport and Montpelier are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,042Lowest 62% above U.S.	$6,936Highest 122% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	62%±18.9Highest U.S.: 51.1%	42.4%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Freeport and Montpelier are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	8.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	6.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	77.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	53.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S.	1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minHighest 11% below U.S.	18 minLowest 31% below U.S.
Work from home	21.2%±5.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	26.9%±5Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Montpelier and Freeport 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	#4 of 133 in ME	#9 of 70 in VT
School district	RSU 05	Montpelier Roxbury Unified Union School District #71
High school in town	Freeport High School	Montpelier High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.2Highest	10.4Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.