Compare towns
Windsor vs Montpelier vs West Windsor
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Windsor has the most affordable homes ($208k median).
Montpelier has the most people working from home (26.9%).
West Windsor has grown the fastest since 2010 (+22.3%).
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.
| Measure | Windsor | Montpelier | West Windsor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,554 |
8,014Highest |
1,171Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+2.8% VT: +2.8% |
+22.3%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.8±6.5 4% above VT |
42.3±2.4Lowest about the VT average |
54±5.9Highest 25% above VT |
| West Windsor and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.5%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
17.9%±2.5Lowest VT: 17.9% |
19.8%±10Highest VT: 17.9% |
| West Windsor and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.7%±6.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
24.3%±3.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
25.5%±6.7 VT: 21.4% |
| Windsor and West Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
66.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
59.7% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.7%±0.8Lowest VT: 7% |
5%±1.6 VT: 7% |
6.1%±3.6Highest VT: 7% |
| West Windsor and Montpelier are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $52,484±$11kLowest 35% below VT |
$81,030±$6k about the VT average |
$108,750±$18kHighest 34% above VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $207,500±$31kLowest 34% below VT |
$375,100±$21k 18% above VT |
$393,500±$41kHighest 24% above VT |
| West Windsor and Montpelier are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,026±$89Lowest 17% below VT |
$1,302±$113Highest 6% above VT |
$1,100±$217 11% below VT |
| Montpelier and West Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,209Lowest 3% above VT |
$6,936Highest 38% above VT |
$5,860 16% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.5%±17 VT: 48.4% |
42.4%±9.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Montpelier and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
6.5% VT: 10.1% |
3.7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 57.8% VT: 73.2% |
53.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
97.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1945Lowest 31 yrs older than VT |
1955 21 yrs older than VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 3% below VT |
18 minLowest 23% below VT |
28 minHighest 20% above VT |
| Work from home | 10.3%±5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
26.9%±5Highest VT: 16.9% |
16.1%±3.2 VT: 16.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #61 of 70 in VT | #9 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | — | Montpelier Roxbury Unified Union School District #71 | Mount Ascutney School District #86 |
| High school in town | — | Montpelier High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.4 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 12 photos → | 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.