Compare towns

Middlesex vs Hanover 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%).
Hanover has the most expensive homes ($843k median).
Montpelier has the most renters (46.9% rent).
Hanover is a college town. 49.8% 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.

MeasureMiddlesexHanoverMontpelier
People
Population
1,943Lowest
8,479Highest
8,014
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+2.8%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+5.1%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
+2.8%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
44.4±3.9Highest
14% above U.S.
21.8±0.3Lowest
44% below U.S.
42.3±2.4
9% above U.S.
Middlesex and Montpelier 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%
9.8%±2.2Lowest
U.S.: 22%
17.9%±2.5
U.S.: 22%
Middlesex and Montpelier 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%
17.6%±3.2Lowest
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%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
89.2%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
66.1%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
5.2%±2.6
U.S.: 6.4%
49.8%±2.5Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
5%±1.6Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$109,632±$13k
36% above U.S.
$153,281±$26kHighest
90% above U.S.
$81,030±$6kLowest
about the U.S. average
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$376,300±$40k
13% above U.S.
$842,600±$97kHighest
153% above U.S.
$375,100±$21kLowest
13% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,333±$359
6% below U.S.
$2,254±$249Highest
60% above U.S.
$1,302±$113Lowest
8% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$6,483Lowest
108% above U.S.
$10,000+Highest
at least 221% above U.S.
$6,936
122% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
0%±100Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
72%±17.4Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
42.4%±9.5
U.S.: 51.1%
Below poverty line
3.8%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
8%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
6.5%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
96.7%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
62.4%
U.S.: 65.2%
53.1%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1986Highest
6 yrs newer than U.S.
1974
6 yrs older than U.S.
1955Lowest
25 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
27 minHighest
4% above U.S.
19 min
28% below U.S.
18 minLowest
31% below U.S.
Work from home
28.4%±10.7Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
26.7%±6Lowest
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 — #1 of 120 in NH #9 of 70 in VT
School district Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 — Montpelier Roxbury Unified Union School District #71
High school in town None in town — Montpelier High School
Students per teacherat that high school — —
10.4
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.