What stands out worked out from the figures below

Winooski has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10%).

Montpelier has the most people working from home (26.9%).

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	Winooski	Montpelier
People
Population	8,293Highest	8,014Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+10%Highest VT: +2.8%	+2.8%Lowest VT: +2.8%
Median age	33.3±1.7Lowest 23% below VT	42.3±2.4Highest about the VT average
Kids under 18	13.5%±2.8Lowest VT: 17.9%	17.9%±2.5Highest VT: 17.9%
	Montpelier and Winooski are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	10.9%±2.7Lowest VT: 21.4%	24.3%±3.6Highest VT: 21.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	59.1%Lowest VT: 43.8%	66.1%Highest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	12.3%±4.4Highest VT: 7%	5%±1.6Lowest VT: 7%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$79,522±$11kLowest about the VT average	$81,030±$6kHighest about the VT average
	Montpelier and Winooski are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$381,500±$25kHighest 20% above VT	$375,100±$21kLowest 18% above VT
	Winooski and Montpelier are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,643±$90Highest 33% above VT	$1,302±$113Lowest 6% above VT
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,802Lowest 35% above VT	$6,936Highest 38% above VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	46.8%±9.5Highest VT: 48.4%	42.4%±9.5Lowest VT: 48.4%
	Winooski and Montpelier are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	13.8%Highest VT: 10.1%	6.5%Lowest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	35.2%Lowest VT: 73.2%	53.1%Highest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1974Highest 2 yrs older than VT	1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	22 minHighest 7% below VT	18 minLowest 23% below VT
Work from home	16.4%±4Lowest VT: 16.9%	26.9%±5Highest VT: 16.9%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#70 of 70 in VT	#9 of 70 in VT
School district	Winooski Incorporated School District	Montpelier Roxbury Unified Union School District #71
High school in town	Winooski High School	Montpelier High School
Students per teacherat that high school	6.4Lowest	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.