What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.4%).

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	Windham
People
Population	8,014Lowest	16,038Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	42.3±2.4Highest 9% above U.S.	41.1±2.9Lowest 6% above U.S.
	Montpelier and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	17.9%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 22%	27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	24.3%±3.6Highest U.S.: 17.2%	15.5%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	66.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	62.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4%	3.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Montpelier and Windham 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 U.S. average	$189,583±$19kHighest 135% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$375,100±$21kLowest 13% above U.S.	$723,300±$50kHighest 117% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,302±$113Lowest 8% below U.S.	$3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,936Lowest 122% above U.S.	$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	42.4%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	52.2%±50.9Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Windham 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 U.S.: 12.5%	2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	53.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S.	1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	18 minLowest 31% below U.S.	31 minHighest 17% above U.S.
Work from home	26.9%±5Highest U.S.: 15.1%	21.9%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Montpelier and Windham 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	#13 of 120 in NH
School district	Montpelier Roxbury Unified Union School District #71	Windham School District
High school in town	Montpelier High School	Windham High School
Students per teacherat that high school	10.4Lowest	12.8Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	None yet	None yet

U.S. 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.