What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Stowe has grown the fastest since 2010 (+21.1%).

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	Stowe
People
Population	8,014Highest	5,285Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.8%Lowest VT: +2.8%	+21.1%Highest VT: +2.8%
Median age	42.3±2.4Lowest about the VT average	46.3±7.6Highest 7% above VT
	Stowe and Montpelier are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	17.9%±2.5Lowest VT: 17.9%	22.5%±4.6Highest VT: 17.9%
	Stowe and Montpelier 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%	25.8%±6.2Highest VT: 21.4%
	Stowe 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%Lowest VT: 43.8%	66.7%Highest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5%±1.6Highest VT: 7%	1.6%±1.6Lowest VT: 7%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$81,030±$6kLowest about the VT average	$93,618±$33kHighest 15% above VT
	Stowe 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±$21kLowest 18% above VT	$647,800±$157kHighest 105% above VT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,302±$113Lowest 6% above VT	$1,458±$242Highest 18% above VT
	Stowe and Montpelier are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,936Lowest 38% above VT	$7,161Highest 42% above VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	42.4%±9.5Highest VT: 48.4%	24.5%±15.9Lowest VT: 48.4%
	Montpelier and Stowe 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%	9.9%Highest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	53.1%Lowest VT: 73.2%	78.6%Highest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT	1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	18 minLowest 23% below VT	19 minHighest 18% below VT
Work from home	26.9%±5Highest VT: 16.9%	24.4%±8.9Lowest VT: 16.9%
	Montpelier and Stowe 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	Stowe Town School District
High school in town	Montpelier High School	Stowe High School
Students per teacherat that high school	10.4Lowest	11.3Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.