What stands out worked out from the figures below

Montpelier has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.8%).

Wolcott has the most homeowners (79.5%).

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	Wolcott
People
Population	8,014Highest	1,507Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.8%Highest VT: +2.8%	-0.4%Lowest VT: +2.8%
Median age	42.3±2.4Lowest about the VT average	42.4±5.9Highest about the VT average
	Wolcott 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%	22.8%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9%
	Wolcott 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%	11.1%±2.4Lowest VT: 21.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	66.1%Highest VT: 43.8%	31.1%Lowest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5%±1.6Highest VT: 7%	3.4%±2.1Lowest VT: 7%
	Montpelier and Wolcott 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	$70,259±$10kLowest 13% below VT
	Montpelier and Wolcott 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	$221,300±$23kLowest 30% below VT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,302±$113Highest 6% above VT	$1,059±$118Lowest 14% below VT
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,936Highest 38% above VT	$3,930Lowest 22% below VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	42.4%±9.5Lowest VT: 48.4%	75.7%±21.8Highest VT: 48.4%
Below poverty line	6.5%Lowest VT: 10.1%	9.3%Highest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	53.1%Lowest VT: 73.2%	79.5%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	27 minHighest 13% above VT
Work from home	26.9%±5Highest VT: 16.9%	13.9%±4.2Lowest VT: 16.9%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#9 of 70 in VT	—
School district	Montpelier Roxbury Unified Union School District #71	Wolcott School District
High school in town	Montpelier High School	None in town
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.