Compare towns
Athens vs Cornish vs Townshend vs Waterville
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Athens has the most renters (26.3% rent).
Cornish has the highest household income ($92k).
Townshend has the most people working from home (28%).
Waterville has the most kids (20.4% under 18).
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 | Cornish | Townshend | Waterville |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 431Lowest |
1,816Highest |
1,538 |
680 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.3±6.5Lowest 22% above U.S. |
54±8.3 39% above U.S. |
55.6±9.6Highest 43% above U.S. |
49.1±8.2 26% above U.S. |
| Townshend and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 13.9%±6.5 U.S.: 22% |
14.4%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
12%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.4%±8.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Waterville and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.6%±4.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.3%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±6.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.4%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Cornish 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
40.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
52.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
32.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±3 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.4%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±3.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Waterville 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 15% below U.S. |
$91,821±$2kHighest 14% above U.S. |
$78,750±$29k about the U.S. average |
$71,250±$27k 12% below U.S. |
| Cornish and Townshend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $240,400±$32k 28% below U.S. |
$296,000±$69kHighest 11% below U.S. |
$287,200±$79k 14% below U.S. |
$236,300±$15kLowest 29% below U.S. |
| Cornish and Townshend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$537 20% below U.S. |
$1,221±$227Highest 14% below U.S. |
$1,074±$80Lowest 24% below U.S. |
$1,110±$93 21% below U.S. |
| Cornish and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,438 74% above U.S. |
$5,796Highest 86% above U.S. |
$5,364 72% above U.S. |
$3,957Lowest 27% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.5%±39 U.S.: 51.1% |
40.5%±38.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
72.5%±23.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.6%±27.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Townshend and Waterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1972Lowest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 36 min 36% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 8% below U.S. |
25 min 5% below U.S. |
38 minHighest 42% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±7.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
12%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
28%±18.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.5%±3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Townshend and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | Cornish School District | West River Valley Union Education District #72B · West River Valley Union Education District #72A | Lamoille North Modified Union School District #058A |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Leland & Gray Union Middle & High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 8.1 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.