What stands out worked out from the figures below

Montpelier has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.8%).

Northfield has the most homeowners (73.5%).

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	Northfield
People
Population	8,014Highest	5,920Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.8%Highest VT: +2.8%	-4.7%Lowest VT: +2.8%
Median age	42.3±2.4Highest about the VT average	36.4±4.1Lowest 16% below VT
	Montpelier and Northfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	17.9%±2.5Highest VT: 17.9%	14.6%±3.7Lowest VT: 17.9%
	Montpelier and Northfield 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%±3.8Lowest VT: 21.4%
	Montpelier and Northfield 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%	34.6%Lowest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5%±1.6Lowest VT: 7%	15.1%±2.1Highest VT: 7%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$81,030±$6kHighest about the VT average	$71,768±$13kLowest 12% below VT
	Montpelier and Northfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$375,100±$21kHighest 18% above VT	$274,400±$21kLowest 13% below VT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,302±$113Highest 6% above VT	$1,018±$207Lowest 18% below VT
	Montpelier and Northfield 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	$4,878Lowest 3% below VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	42.4%±9.5Lowest VT: 48.4%	63.3%±17.7Highest VT: 48.4%
	Northfield 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%	12.5%Highest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	53.1%Lowest VT: 73.2%	73.5%Highest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT	1956Highest 20 yrs older than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	18 minLowest 23% below VT	27 minHighest 16% above VT
Work from home	26.9%±5Highest VT: 16.9%	12.1%±4.3Lowest VT: 16.9%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#9 of 70 in VT	#42 of 70 in VT
School district	Montpelier Roxbury Unified Union School District #71	Paine Mountain Union School District #68
High school in town	Montpelier High School	Northfield Middle/High School
Students per teacherat that high school	10.4Highest	10.0Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.