Compare towns
Middlesex vs Warner vs Williston 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%).
Warner has the most affordable homes ($353k median).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
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 | Warner | Williston | Montpelier |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,943Lowest |
2,959 |
10,144Highest |
8,014 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.4±3.9 14% above U.S. |
43.7±4 12% above U.S. |
45.4±4.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
42.3±2.4Lowest 9% above U.S. |
| Williston and Middlesex 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% |
17.3%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
17.9%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Middlesex and Williston 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% |
20.4%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.3%±3.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Montpelier and Williston 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% |
42.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
66.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Williston and Warner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $109,632±$13kHighest 36% above U.S. |
$94,022±$18k 16% above U.S. |
$106,967±$12k 32% above U.S. |
$81,030±$6kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Middlesex and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $376,300±$40k 13% above U.S. |
$353,100±$22kLowest 6% above U.S. |
$475,800±$40kHighest 43% above U.S. |
$375,100±$21k 13% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,333±$359 6% below U.S. |
$1,219±$123Lowest 14% below U.S. |
$1,832±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
$1,302±$113 8% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,483 108% above U.S. |
$7,650Highest 145% above U.S. |
$5,592Lowest 79% above U.S. |
$6,936 122% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.7%±21.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±17.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
42.4%±9.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Warner and Williston 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% |
8.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
74.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
53.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 4% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
20 min 25% below U.S. |
18 minLowest 31% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 28.4%±10.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.6%±4.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6 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 | — | — | #11 of 70 in VT | #9 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Kearsarge Regional School District | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | Montpelier Roxbury Unified Union School District #71 |
| High school in town | None in town | None 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 | 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.