What stands out worked out from the figures below

Montpelier has the most renters (46.9% rent).

Arlington has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6%).

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	Montpelier	Arlington
People
Population	8,014Highest	2,598Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.8%Lowest VT: +2.8%	+6%Highest VT: +2.8%
Median age	42.3±2.4Highest about the VT average	37.6±4Lowest 13% below VT
	Montpelier and Arlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	17.9%±2.5Lowest VT: 17.9%	20.6%±3.9Highest VT: 17.9%
	Arlington and Montpelier are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	24.3%±3.6Highest VT: 21.4%	20.7%±3.2Lowest VT: 21.4%
	Montpelier and Arlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	66.1%Highest VT: 43.8%	55.9%Lowest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5%±1.6Highest VT: 7%	3.3%±1.7Lowest VT: 7%
	Montpelier and Arlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$81,030±$6kLowest about the VT average	$102,308±$11kHighest 26% above VT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$375,100±$21kHighest 18% above VT	$318,500±$59kLowest about the VT average
	Montpelier and Arlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,302±$113Highest 6% above VT	$1,191±$172Lowest 3% below VT
	Montpelier and Arlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,936Highest 38% above VT	$4,549Lowest 10% below VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	42.4%±9.5Lowest VT: 48.4%	77.1%±9.5Highest VT: 48.4%
Below poverty line	6.5%Lowest VT: 10.1%	7.5%Highest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	53.1%Lowest VT: 73.2%	84%Highest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT	1966Highest 10 yrs older than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	18 minLowest 23% below VT	20 minHighest 13% below VT
Work from home	26.9%±5Lowest VT: 16.9%	35.9%±10.8Highest VT: 16.9%
	Arlington 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	#50 of 70 in VT
School district	Montpelier Roxbury Unified Union School District #71	Arlington School District
High school in town	Montpelier High School	Arlington Memorial
Students per teacherat that high school	10.4Lowest	10.6Highest
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.