Compare towns
Montpelier vs Calais vs Berlin
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).
Calais has the most kids (22.5% under 18).
Berlin has the most affordable homes ($274k median).
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 | Calais | Berlin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,014Highest |
1,713Lowest |
2,880 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.8% VT: +2.8% |
+3.4%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-1.3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.3±2.4 about the VT average |
42±8.6Lowest about the VT average |
50.6±2.4Highest 17% above VT |
| Kids under 18 | 17.9%±2.5 VT: 17.9% |
22.5%±5.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
16.6%±4.2Lowest 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%±3.6 VT: 21.4% |
21.6%±5.2Lowest VT: 21.4% |
26.8%±4.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Berlin and Montpelier 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% VT: 43.8% |
28.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±1.6 VT: 7% |
7.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
3.9%±2.9Lowest 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 |
$86,691±$21k 7% above VT |
| Calais and Berlin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $375,100±$21k 18% above VT |
$390,300±$36kHighest 23% above VT |
$273,600±$31kLowest 14% below 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±$113 6% above VT |
$1,408±$392Highest 14% above VT |
$1,169±$171Lowest 5% below 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 |
$6,586 31% above VT |
$4,418Lowest 12% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.4%±9.5 VT: 48.4% |
49%±38.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
41%±19.9Lowest 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% VT: 10.1% |
10.9%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
92.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
87.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1976 same as VT |
1979Highest 3 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 23% below VT |
31 minHighest 32% above VT |
21 min 10% below VT |
| Work from home | 26.9%±5Highest VT: 16.9% |
23.4%±7.1 VT: 16.9% |
11.7%±3.8Lowest 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 | — | #16 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Montpelier Roxbury Unified Union School District #71 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | 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.