What stands out worked out from the figures below

Randolph has the most homeowners (67.2%).

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

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	Randolph	Montpelier
People
Population	4,843Lowest	8,014Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-0.1%Lowest VT: +2.8%	+2.8%Highest VT: +2.8%
Median age	40.4±7.4Lowest 6% below VT	42.3±2.4Highest about the VT average
	Montpelier and Randolph are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	17.3%±4.4Lowest VT: 17.9%	17.9%±2.5Highest VT: 17.9%
	Montpelier and Randolph are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	22.9%±4.2Lowest VT: 21.4%	24.3%±3.6Highest VT: 21.4%
	Montpelier and Randolph are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	40.8%Lowest VT: 43.8%	66.1%Highest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	11.2%±2.5Highest VT: 7%	5%±1.6Lowest VT: 7%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$76,758±$6kLowest 5% below VT	$81,030±$6kHighest about the VT average
	Montpelier and Randolph are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$278,700±$38kLowest 12% below VT	$375,100±$21kHighest 18% above VT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,172±$173Lowest 5% below VT	$1,302±$113Highest 6% above VT
	Montpelier and Randolph are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,698Lowest 7% below VT	$6,936Highest 38% above VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	54.1%±17.8Highest VT: 48.4%	42.4%±9.5Lowest VT: 48.4%
	Randolph and Montpelier are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	7.7%Highest VT: 10.1%	6.5%Lowest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	67.2%Highest VT: 73.2%	53.1%Lowest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1971Highest 5 yrs older than VT	1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	21 minHighest 12% below VT	18 minLowest 23% below VT
Work from home	12.9%±4.7Lowest VT: 16.9%	26.9%±5Highest VT: 16.9%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#55 of 70 in VT	#9 of 70 in VT
School district	Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59	Montpelier Roxbury Unified Union School District #71
High school in town	Randolph Union High School	Montpelier High School
Students per teacherat that high school	9.4Lowest	10.4Highest
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.