Compare towns
Middlesex vs Williston vs Newfields 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 people working from home (28.4%).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
Newfields has the highest household income ($198k).
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 | Williston | Newfields | Montpelier |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,943Lowest |
10,144Highest |
2,023 |
8,014 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.4±3.9 14% above U.S. |
45.4±4.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
44.1±1.8 13% 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% |
20.5%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
18.9%±1.6 U.S.: 22% |
17.9%±2.5Lowest 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% |
21%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
13.6%±0.9Lowest 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
68.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
66.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
7.5%±7.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Newfields and Williston 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. |
$106,967±$12k 32% above U.S. |
$197,885±$15kHighest 145% above U.S. |
$81,030±$6kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $376,300±$40k 13% above U.S. |
$475,800±$40k 43% above U.S. |
$646,400±$34kHighest 94% above U.S. |
$375,100±$21kLowest 13% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,333±$359 6% below U.S. |
$1,832±$130 30% above U.S. |
$1,875±$323Highest 33% above U.S. |
$1,302±$113Lowest 8% below U.S. |
| Newfields and Williston 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. |
$5,592Lowest 79% 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% |
46.9%±17.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.3%±40.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
42.4%±9.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Williston and Newfields are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
53.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1991 11 yrs newer than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
20 min 25% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
18 minLowest 31% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 28.4%±10.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
25.5%±3.7 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 | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | Newfields School District | 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.