What stands out worked out from the figures below

Montpelier has the most people working from home (26.9%).

Essex Junction has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.2%).

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	Essex Junction
People
Population	8,014Lowest	10,803Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.8%Lowest VT: +2.8%	+14.2%Highest VT: +2.8%
Median age	42.3±2.4Highest about the VT average	39.3±3.1Lowest 9% below VT
	Montpelier and Essex Junction 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%	19.6%±3.2Highest VT: 17.9%
	Essex Junction 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%	14.9%±2.5Lowest VT: 21.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	66.1%Highest VT: 43.8%	52.4%Lowest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5%±1.6Lowest VT: 7%	6.7%±2.2Highest VT: 7%
	Essex Junction 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	$89,257±$16kHighest 10% above VT
	Essex Junction 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	$407,500±$20kHighest 29% above VT
	Essex Junction 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	$1,544±$135Highest 25% above VT
	Essex Junction 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	$6,797Lowest 35% above VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	42.4%±9.5Lowest VT: 48.4%	61.3%±14.5Highest VT: 48.4%
	Essex Junction 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%	9.5%Highest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	53.1%Lowest VT: 73.2%	59.3%Highest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT	1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	18 minLowest 23% below VT	19 minHighest 18% below VT
Work from home	26.9%±5Highest VT: 16.9%	16.9%±4Lowest VT: 16.9%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#9 of 70 in VT	#14 of 70 in VT
School district	Montpelier Roxbury Unified Union School District #71	Essex Westford Educational Community Unified Union SD #51
High school in town	Montpelier High School	Essex High School
Students per teacherat that high school	10.4Lowest	11.7Highest
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.