What stands out worked out from the figures below

Montpelier has the most people working from home (26.9%).

Williamstown has the most homeowners (90.7%).

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	Williamstown
People
Population	8,014Highest	3,579Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.8%Lowest VT: +2.8%	+3.7%Highest VT: +2.8%
Median age	42.3±2.4Highest about the VT average	42±5Lowest about the VT average
	Montpelier and Williamstown 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%	19.9%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9%
	Williamstown 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%	17%±3.9Lowest VT: 21.4%
	Montpelier and Williamstown 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%	17.6%Lowest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5%±1.6Highest VT: 7%	4.8%±3.2Lowest VT: 7%
	Montpelier and Williamstown 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	$94,418±$10kHighest 16% above VT
	Williamstown 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±$21kHighest 18% above VT	$234,900±$24kLowest 26% below VT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,302±$113Lowest 6% above VT	$1,659±$189Highest 34% above VT
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,936Highest 38% above VT	$3,841Lowest 24% below VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	42.4%±9.5Lowest VT: 48.4%	83.7%±100Highest VT: 48.4%
	Williamstown 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%	8.2%Highest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	53.1%Lowest VT: 73.2%	90.7%Highest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT	1986Highest 10 yrs newer than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	18 minLowest 23% below VT	23 minHighest about the VT average
Work from home	26.9%±5Highest VT: 16.9%	13.9%±6.6Lowest VT: 16.9%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#9 of 70 in VT	#47 of 70 in VT
School district	Montpelier Roxbury Unified Union School District #71	Paine Mountain Union School District #68
High school in town	Montpelier High School	Williamstown Middle/High School
Students per teacherat that high school	10.4Highest	9.5Lowest
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.