Compare towns
Athens vs Calais vs Middlesex vs Westminster
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).
Calais has the most kids (22.5% under 18).
Middlesex has the highest household income ($110k).
Westminster 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.
| Measure | Athens | Calais | Middlesex | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 431Lowest |
1,713 |
1,943 |
2,999Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +3.4%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+2.8% VT: +2.8% |
-5.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.3±6.5 10% above VT |
42±8.6Lowest about the VT average |
44.4±3.9 3% above VT |
53.5±3.7Highest 24% above VT |
| Westminster 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% |
22.5%±5.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
21.3%±3.1 VT: 17.9% |
18.2%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
| Calais and Middlesex 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% |
21.6%±5.2 VT: 21.4% |
20.6%±3.7Lowest VT: 21.4% |
27.6%±6.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Westminster 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%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
54.7% VT: 43.8% |
46.3% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±3 VT: 7% |
7.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
5.2%±2.6 VT: 7% |
4.4%±3.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Calais and Middlesex 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 |
$100,625±$27k 24% above VT |
$109,632±$13kHighest 35% above VT |
$71,491±$4k 12% below VT |
| Middlesex and Calais 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 |
$390,300±$36kHighest 23% above VT |
$376,300±$40k 19% above VT |
$273,800±$35k 14% below VT |
| Calais and Middlesex 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 |
$1,408±$392Highest 14% above VT |
$1,333±$359 8% above VT |
$916±$126Lowest 26% below VT |
| Calais and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,438 8% above VT |
$6,586Highest 31% above VT |
$6,483 29% above VT |
$4,063Lowest 19% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.5%±39 VT: 48.4% |
49%±38.3 VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
49.2%±7.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Westminster and Calais 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% |
8.8% VT: 10.1% |
3.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.8% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
92.4% VT: 73.2% |
96.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
88.2% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 3 yrs older than VT |
1976 same as VT |
1986Highest 10 yrs newer than VT |
1980 4 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 53% above VT |
31 min 32% above VT |
27 min 17% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
| Work from home | 19.3%±7.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
23.4%±7.1 VT: 16.9% |
28.4%±10.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
27%±6.6 VT: 16.9% |
| Middlesex and Westminster 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 | — | — | — | #53 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town | Bellows Falls Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 10.6 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.