Compare towns
Athens vs Arlington vs Brookline
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Athens has the most affordable homes ($240k median).
Arlington has the most people working from home (35.9%).
Brookline has the most homeowners (84.9%).
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.
| Measure | Athens | Arlington | Brookline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 431Lowest |
2,598Highest |
531 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +6%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+1.9%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.3±6.5Highest 10% above VT |
37.6±4Lowest 13% below VT |
45.1±2.7 5% above VT |
| Athens and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.9%±6.5Lowest VT: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
20%±6 VT: 17.9% |
| Arlington and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.6%±4.6Highest VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±3.2 VT: 21.4% |
19.6%±4.2Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Athens and Arlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
55.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
41.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±3Highest VT: 7% |
3.3%±1.7 VT: 7% |
3.2%±1.6Lowest 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 | $68,438±$30kLowest 16% below VT |
$102,308±$11kHighest 26% above VT |
$80,833±$16k about the VT average |
| Arlington and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $240,400±$32kLowest 24% below VT |
$318,500±$59kHighest about the VT average |
$290,700±$37k 8% below VT |
| Arlington and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$537Lowest 9% below VT |
$1,191±$172 3% below VT |
$1,732±$232Highest 40% above VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,438Highest 8% above VT |
$4,549Lowest 10% below VT |
$5,000 about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.5%±39Lowest VT: 48.4% |
77.1%±9.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
47.8%±94.7 VT: 48.4% |
| Arlington and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.1%Highest VT: 10.1% |
7.5% VT: 10.1% |
6.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
84% VT: 73.2% |
84.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 3 yrs older than VT |
1966Lowest 10 yrs older than VT |
1975Highest 1 yr older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 53% above VT |
20 minLowest 13% below VT |
28 min 21% above VT |
| Work from home | 19.3%±7.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
35.9%±10.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
20.6%±5.2 VT: 16.9% |
| Arlington and Brookline 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 Our Story | 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.