Compare towns
Athens vs Brookline vs Marshfield
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).
Brookline has the most expensive homes ($291k median).
Marshfield has the most affordable homes ($178k median).
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 | Brookline | Marshfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 431Lowest |
531Highest |
470 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +1.9% VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 47.3±6.5Highest 10% above VT |
45.1±2.7 5% above VT |
42.4±8.8Lowest about the VT average |
| Athens and Brookline 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% |
20%±6Highest VT: 17.9% |
19.4%±9.1 VT: 17.9% |
| Brookline and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.6%±4.6Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.6%±4.2 VT: 21.4% |
10.2%±4.4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Athens and Brookline 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% |
41.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
35.7% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±3Highest VT: 7% |
3.2%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
3.6%±2.4 VT: 7% |
| Athens and Marshfield 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 |
$80,833±$16k about the VT average |
$84,375±$20kHighest 4% above VT |
| Marshfield and Brookline 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 |
$290,700±$37kHighest 8% below VT |
$178,300±$31kLowest 44% below VT |
| Brookline and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$537Lowest 9% below VT |
$1,732±$232Highest 40% above VT |
$1,125±$79Lowest 9% below VT |
| Brookline 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 |
$5,000 about the VT average |
$3,269Lowest 35% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.5%±39Lowest VT: 48.4% |
47.8%±94.7 VT: 48.4% |
52.4%±62.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Marshfield and Brookline 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% |
6.2% VT: 10.1% |
4.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
84.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
81.2% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 3 yrs older than VT |
1975Highest 1 yr older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 53% above VT |
28 minLowest 21% above VT |
29 min 24% above VT |
| Work from home | 19.3%±7.5 VT: 16.9% |
20.6%±5.2Highest VT: 16.9% |
17.5%±7.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Brookline and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| 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.