What stands out worked out from the figures below

Hartford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.4%).

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	Hartford	Montpelier
People
Population	10,736Highest	8,014Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+7.4%Highest VT: +2.8%	+2.8%Lowest VT: +2.8%
Median age	43.2±3.9Highest about the VT average	42.3±2.4Lowest about the VT average
	Hartford and Montpelier are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	18%±3Highest VT: 17.9%	17.9%±2.5Lowest VT: 17.9%
	Hartford and Montpelier are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	22.5%±3.3Lowest VT: 21.4%	24.3%±3.6Highest VT: 21.4%
	Montpelier and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	47.6%Lowest VT: 43.8%	66.1%Highest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.9%±1.7Lowest VT: 7%	5%±1.6Highest VT: 7%
	Montpelier and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$78,125±$7kLowest 4% below VT	$81,030±$6kHighest about the VT average
	Montpelier and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$304,500±$26kLowest 4% below VT	$375,100±$21kHighest 18% above VT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,218±$118Lowest about the VT average	$1,302±$113Highest 6% above VT
	Montpelier and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,773Lowest 15% above VT	$6,936Highest 38% above VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	44.6%±12.7Highest VT: 48.4%	42.4%±9.5Lowest VT: 48.4%
	Hartford and Montpelier are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	11.1%Highest VT: 10.1%	6.5%Lowest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	67.8%Highest VT: 73.2%	53.1%Lowest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1979Highest 3 yrs newer than VT	1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	18 minHighest 22% below VT	18 minLowest 23% below VT
Work from home	13.9%±3.5Lowest VT: 16.9%	26.9%±5Highest VT: 16.9%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#34 of 70 in VT	#9 of 70 in VT
School district	Hartford School District	Montpelier Roxbury Unified Union School District #71
High school in town	Hartford High School	Montpelier High School
Students per teacherat that high school	9.6Lowest	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.