Compare towns
Montpelier vs Olean vs Wright
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Montpelier has the most people working from home (26.9%).
Olean has the most affordable homes ($159k median).
Wright has the highest household income ($86k).
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 | Olean | Wright |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,014Highest |
1,664Lowest |
1,739 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.3±2.4Lowest 9% above U.S. |
53.8±5.5Highest 38% above U.S. |
51.4±4.7 32% above U.S. |
| Olean and Wright are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.9%±2.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.6%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.7%±3.1 U.S.: 22% |
| Montpelier and Wright are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.3%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.2%±5.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.4%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Olean 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
23.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
24.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Montpelier and Olean 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 U.S. average |
$74,583±$20kLowest 8% below U.S. |
$86,250±$13kHighest 7% above U.S. |
| Wright 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±$21kHighest 13% above U.S. |
$158,600±$17kLowest 52% below U.S. |
$242,000±$36k 27% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,302±$113Highest 8% below U.S. |
$666±$334Lowest 53% below U.S. |
$953±$79 33% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,936Highest 122% above U.S. |
$4,027Lowest 29% above U.S. |
$5,279 69% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.4%±9.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
57.1%±25.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
37.6%±16.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Olean 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
16.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1962 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 31% below U.S. |
19 min 30% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 26.9%±5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
5.8%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
5.9%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #9 of 70 in VT | #337 of 484 in NY | — |
| School district | Montpelier Roxbury Unified Union School District #71 | — | — |
| High school in town | Montpelier High School | — | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.