Compare towns
Athens vs Bridgewater vs Newfane
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).
Bridgewater has the most affordable homes ($218k median).
Newfane has the most people working from home (30.8%).
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 | Bridgewater | Newfane |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 431Lowest |
980 |
1,456Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -3.5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-4.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.3±6.5Lowest 10% above VT |
57.1±8Highest 32% above VT |
54.4±3.9 26% above VT |
| Bridgewater and Newfane 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%±5.8 VT: 17.9% |
11.1%±3.7Lowest 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% |
29.2%±3.9 VT: 21.4% |
| Bridgewater and Newfane 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% |
40.3% VT: 43.8% |
46.5%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±3 VT: 7% |
5.8%±3.8Highest VT: 7% |
2.4%±2.1Lowest 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±$30k 16% below VT |
$70,272±$3kHighest 13% below VT |
$66,719±$21kLowest 18% 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±$32k 24% below VT |
$218,300±$55kLowest 31% below VT |
$284,200±$49kHighest 10% below VT |
| Newfane 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 |
$850±$778Lowest 31% below VT |
$1,266±$238Highest about the VT average |
| Newfane 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 |
$3,418Lowest 32% below VT |
$5,174 about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.5%±39Lowest VT: 48.4% |
59.7%±39.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
51.9%±79.7 VT: 48.4% |
| Bridgewater and Newfane 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% |
14.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
10.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
85.4% VT: 73.2% |
87.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 3 yrs older than VT |
1976Highest same as VT |
1971Lowest 5 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 53% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
27 min 13% above VT |
| Work from home | 19.3%±7.5 VT: 16.9% |
10.5%±6.6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
30.8%±12.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Newfane and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | — | West River Valley Union Education District #72A |
| High school in town | — | — | None in town |
| 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.