What stands out worked out from the figures below

Jackson has the most homeowners (91.9%).

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	Jackson	Montpelier
People
Population	1,695Lowest	8,014Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-4.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+2.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	56.9±3.6Highest 46% above U.S.	42.3±2.4Lowest 9% above U.S.
Kids under 18	14.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22%	17.9%±2.5Highest U.S.: 22%
	Montpelier and Jackson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	33.4%±5.3Highest U.S.: 17.2%	24.3%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	32.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	66.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	1.8%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	5%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$77,375±$8kLowest 4% below U.S.	$81,030±$6kHighest about the U.S. average
	Montpelier and Jackson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$235,400±$40kLowest 29% below U.S.	$375,100±$21kHighest 13% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,139±$43Lowest 19% below U.S.	$1,302±$113Highest 8% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,165Lowest 34% above U.S.	$6,936Highest 122% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	77.8%±44.7Highest U.S.: 51.1%	42.4%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Jackson and Montpelier are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	7.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	6.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	91.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	53.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S.	1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	34 minHighest 30% above U.S.	18 minLowest 31% below U.S.
Work from home	11.1%±3Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	26.9%±5Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	—	#9 of 70 in VT
School district	—	Montpelier Roxbury Unified Union School District #71
High school in town	—	Montpelier High School
Students per teacherat that high school	—	10.4
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.