What stands out worked out from the figures below

Shelburne has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8%).

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

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	Shelburne	Montpelier
People
Population	7,969Lowest	8,014Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+8%Highest VT: +2.8%	+2.8%Lowest VT: +2.8%
Median age	50.9±3.2Highest 18% above VT	42.3±2.4Lowest about the VT average
Kids under 18	20.2%±3.9Highest VT: 17.9%	17.9%±2.5Lowest VT: 17.9%
	Shelburne and Montpelier are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	29.2%±4.2Highest VT: 21.4%	24.3%±3.6Lowest VT: 21.4%
	Shelburne and Montpelier are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	70.2%Highest VT: 43.8%	66.1%Lowest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.7%±2.9Lowest VT: 7%	5%±1.6Highest VT: 7%
	Montpelier and Shelburne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$115,963±$16kHighest 43% above VT	$81,030±$6kLowest about the VT average
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$588,100±$44kHighest 86% above VT	$375,100±$21kLowest 18% above VT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,442±$589Highest 17% above VT	$1,302±$113Lowest 6% above VT
	Shelburne and Montpelier are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$8,173Highest 62% above VT	$6,936Lowest 38% above VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	43.7%±10.6Highest VT: 48.4%	42.4%±9.5Lowest VT: 48.4%
	Shelburne and Montpelier are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	8.4%Highest VT: 10.1%	6.5%Lowest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	69.9%Highest VT: 73.2%	53.1%Lowest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1986Highest 10 yrs newer than VT	1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	20 minHighest 14% below VT	18 minLowest 23% below VT
Work from home	31.4%±7.6Highest VT: 16.9%	26.9%±5Lowest VT: 16.9%
	Shelburne 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	#8 of 70 in VT	#9 of 70 in VT
School district	Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56	Montpelier Roxbury Unified Union School District #71
High school in town	None in town	Montpelier High School
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.