What stands out worked out from the figures below

Athens has the most people working from home (19.3%).

Bridgewater has the shortest commute (24 min average).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Athens	Bridgewater
People
Population	431Lowest	980Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	-3.5% VT: +2.8%
Median age	47.3±6.5Lowest 10% above VT	57.1±8Highest 32% above VT
	Bridgewater and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	13.9%±6.5Highest VT: 17.9%	12.8%±5.8Lowest VT: 17.9%
	Athens and Bridgewater 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%	30.2%±0.7Highest VT: 21.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	30.3%Lowest VT: 43.8%	40.3%Highest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.9%±3Lowest VT: 7%	5.8%±3.8Highest VT: 7%
	Bridgewater 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	$70,272±$3kHighest 13% below VT
	Bridgewater 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±$32kHighest 24% below VT	$218,300±$55kLowest 31% below VT
	Athens and Bridgewater 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	$850±$778Lowest 31% below VT
	Athens and Bridgewater 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	$3,418Lowest 32% below VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	43.5%±39Lowest VT: 48.4%	59.7%±39.1Highest VT: 48.4%
	Bridgewater and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	12.1%Lowest VT: 10.1%	14.8%Highest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	73.7%Lowest VT: 73.2%	85.4%Highest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1973Lowest 3 yrs older than VT	1976Highest same as VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	36 minHighest 53% above VT	24 minLowest about the VT average
Work from home	19.3%±7.5Highest VT: 16.9%	10.5%±6.6Lowest VT: 16.9%
	Athens and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.