Compare towns
Athens vs Bennington vs Readsboro
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 people working from home (19.3%).
Bennington has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Readsboro has the oldest population (median age 50.7).
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 | Bennington | Readsboro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 431Lowest |
15,249Highest |
807 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -2.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-8%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.3±6.5 10% above VT |
44.7±2.3Lowest 4% above VT |
50.7±3.9Highest 18% above VT |
| Readsboro and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.9%±6.5 VT: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
6.9%±2.6Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Bennington and Athens 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% |
25.2%±2.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
20.6%±4.4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Bennington 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% VT: 43.8% |
36.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
26.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±3 VT: 7% |
5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
3.3%±1.8Lowest VT: 7% |
| Bennington and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $68,438±$30kHighest 16% below VT |
$59,446±$7k 27% below VT |
$55,268±$12kLowest 32% below VT |
| Athens and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $240,400±$32kHighest 24% below VT |
$213,300±$15kLowest 33% below VT |
$215,500±$52k 32% below VT |
| Athens and Readsboro 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 |
$1,133±$63Highest 8% below VT |
$724±$32Lowest 41% below VT |
| Bennington 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 |
$4,513 10% below VT |
$3,480Lowest 31% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.5%±39 VT: 48.4% |
68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
17.4%±24.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.1% VT: 10.1% |
13.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
7.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.7% VT: 73.2% |
58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
76.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Highest 3 yrs older than VT |
1961Lowest 15 yrs older than VT |
1972 4 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 53% above VT |
17 minLowest 27% below VT |
32 min 35% above VT |
| Work from home | 19.3%±7.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
7.8%±3.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Athens and Bennington 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 | — | #58 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | — | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Readsboro School District |
| High school in town | — | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.7 |
— |
| 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.