Compare towns
Athens vs Brandon vs Whiting
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%).
Brandon has the most homeowners (84.3%).
Whiting has the highest household income ($91k).
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 | Brandon | Whiting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 431Lowest |
4,120Highest |
532 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +4.1% VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 47.3±6.5 10% above VT |
50.1±3.1Highest 16% above VT |
39.6±2.7Lowest 8% below VT |
| Brandon 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% |
19.2%±4.3 VT: 17.9% |
23.5%±6.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Whiting and Brandon 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% |
22.3%±4.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
13%±5.1Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Brandon 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% |
32.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
25.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±3 VT: 7% |
2.5%±1.7Lowest VT: 7% |
6.2%±4Highest VT: 7% |
| Whiting 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±$30k 16% below VT |
$64,180±$12kLowest 21% below VT |
$91,250±$38kHighest 12% above VT |
| Whiting and Athens 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 |
$227,800±$23kLowest 28% below VT |
$280,400±$36kHighest 11% below VT |
| Whiting and Athens 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 |
$1,064±$225Lowest 14% below VT |
$1,204±$519Highest about the VT average |
| Whiting 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 |
$4,241 16% below VT |
$4,227Lowest 16% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.5%±39 VT: 48.4% |
41.7%±15.1Lowest VT: 48.4% |
58.3%±37.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Whiting 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% |
14.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
11.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.7% VT: 73.2% |
84.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
65.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 3 yrs older than VT |
1951Lowest 25 yrs older than VT |
1975Highest 1 yr older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 53% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
22 minLowest 7% below VT |
| Work from home | 19.3%±7.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
9.9%±5.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
10%±5.4 VT: 16.9% |
| Athens and Whiting 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 | — | #69 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | — | Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53 | Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53 |
| High school in town | — | Otter Valley Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.9 |
— |
| 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.