Compare towns
Athens vs Arlington vs Westminster
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 renters (26.3% rent).
Arlington has the highest household income ($102k).
Westminster has the oldest population (median age 53.5).
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 | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 431Lowest |
2,598 |
2,999Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +6%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-5.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.3±6.5 10% above VT |
37.6±4Lowest 13% below VT |
53.5±3.7Highest 24% above VT |
| Westminster and Athens 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% |
18.2%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
| Arlington and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.6%±4.6 VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±3.2Lowest VT: 21.4% |
27.6%±6.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Westminster and Athens 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% |
46.3% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±3Highest VT: 7% |
3.3%±1.7Lowest VT: 7% |
4.4%±3.1 VT: 7% |
| Athens and Westminster 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 |
$71,491±$4k 12% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $240,400±$32kLowest 24% below VT |
$318,500±$59kHighest about the VT average |
$273,800±$35k 14% below VT |
| Arlington and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$537 9% below VT |
$1,191±$172Highest 3% below VT |
$916±$126Lowest 26% 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 | $5,438Highest 8% above VT |
$4,549 10% below VT |
$4,063Lowest 19% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.5%±39Lowest VT: 48.4% |
77.1%±9.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
49.2%±7.5 VT: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 12.1%Highest VT: 10.1% |
7.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.8% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
84% VT: 73.2% |
88.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 3 yrs older than VT |
1966Lowest 10 yrs older than VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 53% above VT |
20 minLowest 13% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 19.3%±7.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
35.9%±10.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
27%±6.6 VT: 16.9% |
| Arlington and Westminster 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 | #53 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Arlington School District | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District |
| High school in town | — | Arlington Memorial | Bellows Falls Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.6 |
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.