Compare towns
Athens vs Cornwall vs Orwell
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 affordable homes ($240k median).
Cornwall has the highest household income ($115k).
Orwell has the most kids (21.8% 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 | Cornwall | Orwell |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 431Lowest |
1,208 |
1,294Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +1.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-0.9%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.3±6.5Lowest 10% above VT |
50.4±4.6Highest 17% above VT |
47.5±7 10% above VT |
| Cornwall and Orwell 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% |
18.7%±3 VT: 17.9% |
21.8%±5.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Orwell and Cornwall 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% |
25.7%±6.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
24%±3.1 VT: 21.4% |
| Cornwall and Orwell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.3% VT: 43.8% |
54.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
22.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±3Highest VT: 7% |
3.7%±3.1 VT: 7% |
3.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 7% |
| Athens and Cornwall 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 |
$114,583±$32kHighest 41% above VT |
$70,417±$22k 13% below VT |
| Cornwall and Orwell 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 |
$458,000±$49kHighest 45% above VT |
$335,600±$25k 6% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$537Highest 9% below VT |
$1,125±$206Highest 9% below VT |
$1,105±$51Lowest 10% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,438 8% above VT |
$6,726Highest 33% above VT |
$3,914Lowest 22% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.5%±39Lowest VT: 48.4% |
61.9%±65.5 VT: 48.4% |
62.1%±35.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Orwell and Cornwall 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% |
0.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
10.8% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
94.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
87.3% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 3 yrs older than VT |
1976 same as VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 53% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
27 min 15% above VT |
| Work from home | 19.3%±7.5 VT: 16.9% |
24.4%±6.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
13.3%±7.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Cornwall and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 |
| High school in town | — | None 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.