Compare towns
Montpelier vs Randolph vs Williston
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).
Randolph has the most affordable homes ($279k median).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
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.
| Measure | Montpelier | Randolph | Williston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,014 |
4,843Lowest |
10,144Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.8% VT: +2.8% |
-0.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+16.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.3±2.4 about the VT average |
40.4±7.4Lowest 6% below VT |
45.4±4.5Highest 5% above VT |
| Williston and Montpelier are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.9%±2.5 VT: 17.9% |
17.3%±4.4Lowest VT: 17.9% |
20.5%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Williston 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% |
22.9%±4.2 VT: 21.4% |
21%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Montpelier and Randolph 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% |
40.8%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
54.9% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
11.2%±2.5Highest VT: 7% |
5.7%±2.7 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $81,030±$6k about the VT average |
$76,758±$6kLowest 5% below VT |
$106,967±$12kHighest 32% above VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $375,100±$21k 18% above VT |
$278,700±$38kLowest 12% below VT |
$475,800±$40kHighest 50% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,302±$113 6% above VT |
$1,172±$173Lowest 5% below VT |
$1,832±$130Highest 48% above VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,936Highest 38% above VT |
$4,698Lowest 7% below VT |
$5,592 11% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.4%±9.5Lowest VT: 48.4% |
54.1%±17.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±17.4 VT: 48.4% |
| Randolph and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.5% VT: 10.1% |
7.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
4.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
67.2% VT: 73.2% |
75.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1971 5 yrs older than VT |
1993Highest 17 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 23% below VT |
21 minHighest 12% below VT |
20 min 16% below VT |
| Work from home | 26.9%±5Highest VT: 16.9% |
12.9%±4.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
22.3%±7.6 VT: 16.9% |
| Montpelier and Williston 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 | #55 of 70 in VT | #11 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Montpelier Roxbury Unified Union School District #71 | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 |
| High school in town | Montpelier High School | Randolph Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4Highest |
9.4Lowest |
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| 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.