Compare towns
Athens vs Braintree vs Townshend
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 youngest population (median age 47.3).
Braintree has the most affordable homes ($218k median).
Townshend has the most people working from home (28%).
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 | Braintree | Townshend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 431Lowest |
1,026 |
1,538Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -3.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+4.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.3±6.5Lowest 10% above VT |
58.4±2.4Highest 35% above VT |
55.6±9.6 29% above VT |
| Braintree and Townshend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.9%±6.5Highest VT: 17.9% |
12.3%±3.2 VT: 17.9% |
12%±2.6Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Athens and Braintree 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% |
33.2%±3.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.3%±6.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
30.9% VT: 43.8% |
52.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±3Highest VT: 7% |
1.8%±1.3 VT: 7% |
1.4%±0.8Lowest VT: 7% |
| Athens and Braintree 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 |
$79,803±$5kHighest about the VT average |
$78,750±$29k 3% below VT |
| Braintree and Townshend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $240,400±$32k 24% below VT |
$217,700±$28kLowest 31% below VT |
$287,200±$79kHighest 9% below VT |
| Townshend and Athens 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 |
$840±$405Lowest 32% below VT |
$1,074±$80 13% below VT |
| Athens and Townshend 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 |
$3,908Lowest 22% below VT |
$5,364 6% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.5%±39 VT: 48.4% |
43.4%±29.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
72.5%±23.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Townshend and Athens 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% |
11.1% VT: 10.1% |
8.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
81% VT: 73.2% |
82.6%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 3 yrs older than VT |
1979 3 yrs newer than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 53% above VT |
26 min 11% above VT |
25 minLowest 6% above VT |
| Work from home | 19.3%±7.5 VT: 16.9% |
19%±7.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
28%±18.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Townshend and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | West River Valley Union Education District #72B · West River Valley Union Education District #72A |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Leland & Gray Union Middle & High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 8.1 |
| 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.