Compare towns
Worcester vs Montpelier vs Windham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Worcester has the most affordable homes ($271k median).
Montpelier has the most renters (46.9% rent).
Windham has the highest household income ($95k).
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 | Worcester | Montpelier | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 831 |
8,014Highest |
594Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+2.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 47±2.7Highest 9% above VT |
42.3±2.4Lowest about the VT average |
44.2±7.4 about the VT average |
| Worcester and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.8%±3.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
17.9%±2.5Highest VT: 17.9% |
17.5%±7.9 VT: 17.9% |
| Montpelier and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.5%±2.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
24.3%±3.6Highest VT: 21.4% |
23.2%±8.1 VT: 21.4% |
| Montpelier and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 53% VT: 43.8% |
66.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.9%±4.7Highest VT: 7% |
5%±1.6 VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Worcester and Montpelier are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $73,833±$18kLowest 9% below VT |
$81,030±$6k about the VT average |
$94,500±$12kHighest 16% above VT |
| Windham and Montpelier are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $271,100±$27kLowest 14% below VT |
$375,100±$21kHighest 18% above VT |
$353,900±$20k 12% above VT |
| Montpelier and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,023±$136Lowest 17% below VT |
$1,302±$113Highest 6% above VT |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,421Lowest 12% below VT |
$6,936Highest 38% above VT |
$5,951 18% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25.5%±37Lowest VT: 48.4% |
42.4%±9.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
41.2%±94 VT: 48.4% |
| Montpelier and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
6.5% VT: 10.1% |
9.9%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
53.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
82.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 same as VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 22% above VT |
18 minLowest 23% below VT |
27 min 14% above VT |
| Work from home | 23.6%±4.8 VT: 16.9% |
26.9%±5Highest VT: 16.9% |
20.5%±5.6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Montpelier and Worcester 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 | — | #9 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | 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 | 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.