What stands out worked out from the figures below

Montpelier has the shortest commute (18 min average).

Waterbury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.3%).

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	Waterbury
People
Population	8,014Highest	5,405Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.8%Lowest VT: +2.8%	+5.3%Highest VT: +2.8%
Median age	42.3±2.4Lowest about the VT average	43.2±3.7Highest about the VT average
	Waterbury 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%	21.9%±4.9Highest VT: 17.9%
	Waterbury 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%	19.8%±4.4Lowest VT: 21.4%
	Montpelier and Waterbury 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%	54.2%Lowest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5%±1.6Highest VT: 7%	3.4%±2.8Lowest VT: 7%
	Montpelier and Waterbury 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	$103,917±$23kHighest 28% above VT
	Waterbury 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	$447,200±$40kHighest 41% above VT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,302±$113Highest 6% above VT	$1,027±$535Lowest 17% below VT
	Montpelier and Waterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,936Highest 38% above VT	$6,435Lowest 28% above VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	42.4%±9.5Lowest VT: 48.4%	46.8%±21.7Highest VT: 48.4%
	Waterbury 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 VT: 10.1%	7.9%Highest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	53.1%Lowest VT: 73.2%	70.6%Highest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT	1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	18 minLowest 23% below VT	30 minHighest 28% above VT
Work from home	26.9%±5Lowest VT: 16.9%	28.3%±6.8Highest VT: 16.9%
	Waterbury 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	#20 of 70 in VT
School district	Montpelier Roxbury Unified Union School District #71	Harwood Unified Union School District #60
High school in town	Montpelier High School	None in town
Students per teacherat that high school	10.4	—
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.