Compare towns
Middlebury vs Olean vs Montpelier
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Middlebury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.9%).
Olean has the most affordable homes ($86k median).
Montpelier has the most people working from home (26.9%).
Middlebury is a college town. 40.9% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Middlebury | Olean | Montpelier |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,220Lowest |
13,738Highest |
8,014 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 23.7±1.3Lowest 39% below U.S. |
39±2.6 about the U.S. average |
42.3±2.4Highest 9% above U.S. |
| Montpelier and Olean are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 8.5%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.5%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.9%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 19.8%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.1%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.3%±3.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Montpelier and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 61.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
29.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
66.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 40.9%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $86,250±$18kHighest 7% above U.S. |
$51,261±$7kLowest 37% below U.S. |
$81,030±$6k about the U.S. average |
| Middlebury and Montpelier are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $417,400±$31kHighest 25% above U.S. |
$86,100±$6kLowest 74% below U.S. |
$375,100±$21k 13% above U.S. |
| Middlebury and Montpelier are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,201±$120 15% below U.S. |
$794±$52Lowest 44% below U.S. |
$1,302±$113Highest 8% below U.S. |
| Montpelier and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,795 118% above U.S. |
$3,130Lowest about the U.S. average |
$6,936Highest 122% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.6%±15.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52%±9.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
42.4%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Middlebury and Olean are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 15.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
26.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 56.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
55.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
53.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1955 25 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 15 min 45% below U.S. |
14 minLowest 45% below U.S. |
18 minHighest 31% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.1%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
8.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
26.9%±5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Montpelier and Middlebury 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 | #17 of 70 in VT | #337 of 484 in NY | #9 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | OLEAN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | Montpelier Roxbury Unified Union School District #71 |
| High school in town | — | OLEAN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | Montpelier High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.2Highest |
10.4Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 6 photos → | 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.