Compare towns
Arlington vs Athens vs Sandgate
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Arlington has the most kids (20.6% under 18).
Athens has the most renters (26.3% rent).
Sandgate has the most affordable homes ($194k 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.
| Measure | Arlington | Athens | Sandgate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,598Highest |
431Lowest |
435 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% VT: +2.8% |
— | — |
| Median age | 37.6±4Lowest 13% below VT |
47.3±6.5 10% above VT |
55.7±5.4Highest 29% above VT |
| Sandgate and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.6%±3.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
13.9%±6.5 VT: 17.9% |
13.1%±7.5Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Arlington and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±3.2Lowest VT: 21.4% |
21.6%±4.6 VT: 21.4% |
26%±11.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Sandgate and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
30.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
37.8% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.7 VT: 7% |
4.9%±3Highest VT: 7% |
2.3%±2.4Lowest VT: 7% |
| Athens and Arlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $102,308±$11kHighest 26% above VT |
$68,438±$30kLowest 16% below VT |
$69,167±$19k 15% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $318,500±$59kHighest about the VT average |
$240,400±$32k 24% below VT |
$193,800±$31kLowest 39% below VT |
| Arlington and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,191±$172Highest 3% below VT |
$1,125±$537Lowest 9% below VT |
— |
| Arlington and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,549 10% below VT |
$5,438Highest 8% above VT |
$2,778Lowest 45% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 77.1%±9.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
43.5%±39 VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Arlington and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
12.1%Highest VT: 10.1% |
9.7% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84% VT: 73.2% |
73.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
94.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 10 yrs older than VT |
1973Highest 3 yrs older than VT |
1959Lowest 17 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 13% below VT |
36 minHighest 53% above VT |
27 min 16% above VT |
| Work from home | 35.9%±10.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
19.3%±7.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
34.6%±32.4 VT: 16.9% |
| Arlington and Sandgate 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 | #50 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | Arlington School District | — | — |
| High school in town | Arlington Memorial | — | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.6 |
— | — |
| 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.