What stands out worked out from the figures below

Milton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.6%).

Colchester has the most people working from home (19%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Milton	Colchester
People
Population	10,769Lowest	17,648Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3.6%Highest VT: +2.8%	+2.7%Lowest VT: +2.8%
Median age	41.6±2.5Highest 3% below VT	39.3±1.4Lowest 9% below VT
	Milton and Colchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	17.6%±3.4Lowest VT: 17.9%	19.1%±2.5Highest VT: 17.9%
	Colchester and Milton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	16%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4%	17.9%±2.1Highest VT: 21.4%
	Colchester and Milton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	33.1%Lowest VT: 43.8%	40.8%Highest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.5%±1.3Lowest VT: 7%	10.9%±1.3Highest VT: 7%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$118,977±$10kHighest 47% above VT	$97,891±$9kLowest 21% above VT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$372,500±$20kLowest 18% above VT	$394,400±$25kHighest 25% above VT
	Colchester and Milton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,536±$257Highest 24% above VT	$1,474±$122Lowest 19% above VT
	Milton and Colchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,610Highest 11% above VT	$5,471Lowest 9% above VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	53.1%±20.6Highest VT: 48.4%	46.2%±10.6Lowest VT: 48.4%
	Milton and Colchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	3.6%Lowest VT: 10.1%	7%Highest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	86.9%Highest VT: 73.2%	74.1%Lowest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1985Highest 9 yrs newer than VT	1981Lowest 5 yrs newer than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minHighest 18% above VT	20 minLowest 15% below VT
Work from home	14.6%±2.9Lowest VT: 16.9%	19%±3.9Highest VT: 16.9%
	Colchester and Milton 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	#56 of 70 in VT	#18 of 70 in VT
School district	Milton School District	Colchester School District
High school in town	Milton Senior High School	Colchester High School
Students per teacherat that high school	9.3Lowest	11.8Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.