Compare towns
Middlesex vs Douglas 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
Middlesex has the most homeowners (96.7%).
Douglas has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6%).
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.
| Measure | Middlesex | Douglas | Montpelier |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,943Lowest |
9,207Highest |
8,014 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.4±3.9Highest 14% above U.S. |
44±2.6 13% above U.S. |
42.3±2.4Lowest 9% above U.S. |
| Middlesex and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.3%±3.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.2%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
17.9%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Middlesex and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.6%±3.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.3%±3.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Montpelier and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
41.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
66.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Douglas and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $109,632±$13k 36% above U.S. |
$152,267±$10kHighest 89% above U.S. |
$81,030±$6kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $376,300±$40k 13% above U.S. |
$470,600±$29kHighest 41% above U.S. |
$375,100±$21kLowest 13% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,333±$359 6% below U.S. |
$1,503±$697Highest 6% above U.S. |
$1,302±$113Lowest 8% below U.S. |
| Douglas and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,483 108% above U.S. |
$6,338Lowest 103% above U.S. |
$6,936Highest 122% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
33.9%±17.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
42.4%±9.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Montpelier and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
53.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 4% above U.S. |
34 minHighest 28% above U.S. |
18 minLowest 31% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 28.4%±10.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.9%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
26.9%±5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Middlesex and Montpelier 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 | — | #177 of 282 in MA | #9 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Douglas | Montpelier Roxbury Unified Union School District #71 |
| High school in town | None in town | Douglas High School | Montpelier High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 7.2Lowest |
10.4Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.