Compare towns
Montpelier vs Braintree vs Middlesex
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Montpelier has the most renters (46.9% rent).
Braintree has the most affordable homes ($218k median).
Middlesex has the highest household income ($110k).
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 | Montpelier | Braintree | Middlesex |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,014Highest |
1,026Lowest |
1,943 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+2.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.3±2.4Lowest about the VT average |
58.4±2.4Highest 35% above VT |
44.4±3.9 3% above VT |
| Kids under 18 | 17.9%±2.5 VT: 17.9% |
12.3%±3.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
21.3%±3.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Middlesex and Montpelier are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.3%±3.6 VT: 21.4% |
33.2%±3.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
20.6%±3.7Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 66.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
30.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
54.7% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±1.6 VT: 7% |
1.8%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
5.2%±2.6Highest VT: 7% |
| Middlesex and Montpelier are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $81,030±$6k about the VT average |
$79,803±$5kLowest about the VT average |
$109,632±$13kHighest 35% above VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $375,100±$21k 18% above VT |
$217,700±$28kLowest 31% below VT |
$376,300±$40kHighest 19% above VT |
| Middlesex and Montpelier are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,302±$113 6% above VT |
$840±$405Lowest 32% below VT |
$1,333±$359Highest 8% above VT |
| Middlesex and Montpelier 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 |
$3,908Lowest 22% below VT |
$6,483 29% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.4%±9.5 VT: 48.4% |
43.4%±29.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Braintree and Montpelier are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.5% VT: 10.1% |
11.1%Highest VT: 10.1% |
3.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
81% VT: 73.2% |
96.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1979 3 yrs newer than VT |
1986Highest 10 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 23% below VT |
26 min 11% above VT |
27 minHighest 17% above VT |
| Work from home | 26.9%±5 VT: 16.9% |
19%±7.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
28.4%±10.7Highest 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 | Montpelier Roxbury Unified Union School District #71 | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 |
| High school in town | Montpelier High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.