What stands out worked out from the figures below

Montpelier has the most expensive homes ($375k median).

Sandgate has the most homeowners (94.3%).

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	Sandgate
People
Population	8,014Highest	435Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.8% VT: +2.8%	—
Median age	42.3±2.4Lowest about the VT average	55.7±5.4Highest 29% above VT
Kids under 18	17.9%±2.5Highest VT: 17.9%	13.1%±7.5Lowest VT: 17.9%
	Montpelier and Sandgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	24.3%±3.6Lowest VT: 21.4%	26%±11.3Highest VT: 21.4%
	Sandgate 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 VT: 43.8%	37.8%Lowest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5%±1.6Highest VT: 7%	2.3%±2.4Lowest VT: 7%
	Montpelier and Sandgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$81,030±$6kHighest about the VT average	$69,167±$19kLowest 15% below VT
	Montpelier and Sandgate 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	$193,800±$31kLowest 39% below VT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,302±$113 6% above VT	—
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,936Highest 38% above VT	$2,778Lowest 45% below VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	42.4%±9.5Highest VT: 48.4%	0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4%
	Montpelier and Sandgate 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%	9.7%Highest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	53.1%Lowest VT: 73.2%	94.3%Highest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT	1959Highest 17 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%±5Lowest VT: 16.9%	34.6%±32.4Highest VT: 16.9%
	Sandgate and Montpelier 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	—
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

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.