Compare towns
Athens vs Benson 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).
Benson has the highest household income ($79k).
Westminster has the most people working from home (27%).
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 | Benson | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 431Lowest |
784 |
2,999Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -7.8%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-5.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.3±6.5Lowest 10% above VT |
51.9±9.4 20% above VT |
53.5±3.7Highest 24% above VT |
| Westminster and Benson 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% |
16.5%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
18.2%±4.7Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Westminster and Benson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.6%±4.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
26.9%±4.2 VT: 21.4% |
27.6%±6.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Westminster and Benson 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% |
32.6% VT: 43.8% |
46.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±3 VT: 7% |
7%±5.8Highest VT: 7% |
4.4%±3.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Benson 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±$30kLowest 16% below VT |
$78,625±$8kHighest 3% below VT |
$71,491±$4k 12% below VT |
| Benson and Westminster 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 |
$242,000±$26k 24% below VT |
$273,800±$35kHighest 14% below VT |
| Westminster and Benson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$537Highest 9% below VT |
$1,113±$170 10% below VT |
$916±$126Lowest 26% below VT |
| Athens and Benson 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 |
$4,125 18% below VT |
$4,063Lowest 19% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.5%±39Lowest VT: 48.4% |
53.4%±35.2Highest VT: 48.4% |
49.2%±7.5 VT: 48.4% |
| Benson and Westminster 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% |
5.4%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.8% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
80.9% VT: 73.2% |
88.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 3 yrs older than VT |
1975 1 yr older than VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 53% above VT |
32 min 35% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
| Work from home | 19.3%±7.5 VT: 16.9% |
18.6%±5.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
27%±6.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Westminster and Athens 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 | — | — | #53 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Bellows Falls Union High School |
| 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.