Compare towns
Middlesex vs Wilder vs Montpelier vs Calais
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Middlesex has the highest household income ($110k).
Wilder has grown the fastest since 2010 (+81.7%).
Montpelier has the most renters (46.9% rent).
Calais has the most kids (22.5% under 18).
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 | Wilder | Montpelier | Calais |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,943 |
3,087 |
8,014Highest |
1,713Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.8%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+81.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+2.8%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+3.4% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.4±3.9 3% above VT |
45.5±8.9Highest 6% above VT |
42.3±2.4 about the VT average |
42±8.6Lowest about the VT average |
| Wilder and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.3%±3.1 VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±4.1Lowest VT: 17.9% |
17.9%±2.5 VT: 17.9% |
22.5%±5.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Calais and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.6%±3.7Lowest VT: 21.4% |
27.3%±4.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
24.3%±3.6 VT: 21.4% |
21.6%±5.2 VT: 21.4% |
| Wilder and Montpelier 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 VT: 43.8% |
60.2% VT: 43.8% |
66.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
55.4% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±2.6 VT: 7% |
8.1%±3.9Highest VT: 7% |
5%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
7.4%±3.4 VT: 7% |
| Wilder and Calais 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 35% above VT |
$75,143±$9kLowest 7% below VT |
$81,030±$6k about the VT average |
$100,625±$27k 24% above VT |
| Middlesex and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $376,300±$40k 19% above VT |
$273,200±$18kLowest 14% below VT |
$375,100±$21k 18% above VT |
$390,300±$36kHighest 23% above VT |
| Calais and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,333±$359 8% above VT |
$1,142±$451Lowest 7% below VT |
$1,302±$113 6% above VT |
$1,408±$392Highest 14% above VT |
| Calais and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,483 29% above VT |
$5,505Lowest 9% above VT |
$6,936Highest 38% above VT |
$6,586 31% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
39.9%±17.2 VT: 48.4% |
42.4%±9.5 VT: 48.4% |
49%±38.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Calais and Montpelier are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
9.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
6.5% VT: 10.1% |
8.8% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
62.9% VT: 73.2% |
53.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
92.4% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 10 yrs newer than VT |
1983 7 yrs newer than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1976 same as VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 17% above VT |
17 minLowest 29% below VT |
18 min 23% below VT |
31 minHighest 32% above VT |
| Work from home | 28.4%±10.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
12.6%±6.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
26.9%±5 VT: 16.9% |
23.4%±7.1 VT: 16.9% |
| 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 | — | — | #9 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | — | Montpelier Roxbury Unified Union School District #71 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Montpelier High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.4 |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
VT 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.