Compare towns
Athens vs Cabot vs Brookline
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).
Cabot has the most kids (27.2% under 18).
Brookline has the most expensive homes ($291k 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 | Cabot | Brookline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 431Lowest |
1,579Highest |
531 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +0.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+1.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.3±6.5Highest 10% above VT |
40.3±6.6Lowest 6% below VT |
45.1±2.7 5% above VT |
| 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% |
27.2%±5.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
20%±6 VT: 17.9% |
| Cabot and Brookline 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% |
21%±6.4 VT: 21.4% |
19.6%±4.2Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Athens and Cabot 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% |
44.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
41.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±3Highest VT: 7% |
2.2%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
3.2%±1.6 VT: 7% |
| Athens and Brookline 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 |
$77,031±$16k 5% below VT |
$80,833±$16kHighest about the VT average |
| Brookline and Cabot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $240,400±$32kLowest 24% below VT |
$268,500±$77k 15% below VT |
$290,700±$37kHighest 8% below VT |
| Brookline and Cabot 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 |
$1,243±$354 about the VT average |
$1,732±$232Highest 40% above VT |
| Brookline and Cabot 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 |
$4,639Lowest 8% below VT |
$5,000 about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.5%±39Lowest VT: 48.4% |
44.1%±26.7 VT: 48.4% |
47.8%±94.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Brookline and Cabot 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% |
9% VT: 10.1% |
6.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
83.7% VT: 73.2% |
84.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 3 yrs older than VT |
1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT |
1975 1 yr older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 53% above VT |
30 min 27% above VT |
28 minLowest 21% above VT |
| Work from home | 19.3%±7.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
21.4%±4.2Highest VT: 16.9% |
20.6%±5.2 VT: 16.9% |
| Cabot and Brookline 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 | 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.