Compare towns
Montpelier vs Richmond 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).
Richmond has the most homeowners (78.8%).
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 | Richmond | Williston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,014 |
4,159Lowest |
10,144Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.8% VT: +2.8% |
+2.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+16.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.3±2.4Lowest about the VT average |
43.7±5.6 about the VT average |
45.4±4.5Highest 5% above VT |
| Williston and Richmond 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% |
21.5%±5Highest VT: 17.9% |
20.5%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Richmond and Williston 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% |
19.5%±6.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
21%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
| Montpelier and Williston 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% |
59.1% VT: 43.8% |
54.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±1.6 VT: 7% |
2.8%±1.7Lowest VT: 7% |
5.7%±2.7Highest VT: 7% |
| Williston 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 |
$108,235±$24kHighest 33% above VT |
$106,967±$12k 32% above VT |
| Richmond and Williston 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 |
$432,200±$39k 37% above VT |
$475,800±$40kHighest 50% above VT |
| Williston and Richmond 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 |
— | $1,832±$130Highest 48% above VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,936Highest 38% above VT |
$6,868 36% above VT |
$5,592Lowest 11% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.4%±9.5 VT: 48.4% |
28.5%±15.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±17.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Williston and Montpelier are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
4.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
4.3% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
78.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
75.1% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1983 7 yrs newer than VT |
1993Highest 17 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 23% below VT |
25 minHighest 6% above VT |
20 min 16% below VT |
| Work from home | 26.9%±5Highest VT: 16.9% |
22.5%±6.1 VT: 16.9% |
22.3%±7.6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Montpelier and Richmond 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 | #5 of 70 in VT | #11 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Montpelier Roxbury Unified Union School District #71 | Mount Mansfield Unified Union School District #401 | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 |
| 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.