What stands out worked out from the figures below

Montpelier has the most renters (46.9% rent).

Calais has the most homeowners (92.4%).

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	Calais
People
Population	8,014Highest	1,713Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.8%Lowest VT: +2.8%	+3.4%Highest VT: +2.8%
Median age	42.3±2.4Highest about the VT average	42±8.6Lowest about the VT average
	Montpelier and Calais 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%	22.5%±5.4Highest VT: 17.9%
	Calais 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%	21.6%±5.2Lowest VT: 21.4%
	Montpelier and Calais 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%	55.4%Lowest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5%±1.6Lowest VT: 7%	7.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7%
	Calais 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±$6kLowest about the VT average	$100,625±$27kHighest 24% above VT
	Calais and Montpelier are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$375,100±$21kLowest 18% above VT	$390,300±$36kHighest 23% above VT
	Calais and Montpelier are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,302±$113Lowest 6% above VT	$1,408±$392Highest 14% above VT
	Calais 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	$6,586Lowest 31% above VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	42.4%±9.5Lowest 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	6.5%Lowest VT: 10.1%	8.8%Highest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	53.1%Lowest VT: 73.2%	92.4%Highest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT	1976Highest same as VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	18 minLowest 23% below VT	31 minHighest 32% above VT
Work from home	26.9%±5Highest VT: 16.9%	23.4%±7.1Lowest VT: 16.9%
	Montpelier and Calais 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	Washington Central Unified Union School District #92
High school in town	Montpelier High School	None in town
Students per teacherat that high school	10.4	—
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.