Compare towns
Athens vs Cornwall vs Strafford vs Waterville
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).
Cornwall has the most people working from home (24.4%).
Strafford has the most kids (23% under 18).
Waterville has the most affordable homes ($236k 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 | Cornwall | Strafford | Waterville |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 431Lowest |
1,208 |
1,372Highest |
680 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +1.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-0.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+1.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.3±6.5Lowest 10% above VT |
50.4±4.6 17% above VT |
51.4±4.7Highest 19% above VT |
49.1±8.2 14% above VT |
| Strafford and Cornwall 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% |
23%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
20.4%±8.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Strafford and Waterville 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% |
25.7%±6.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
22.1%±3.4 VT: 21.4% |
14.4%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Cornwall and Strafford 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% |
54.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
53.3% VT: 43.8% |
32.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±3 VT: 7% |
3.7%±3.1Lowest VT: 7% |
5.1%±2.6 VT: 7% |
5.3%±3.3Highest VT: 7% |
| Waterville and Strafford 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 |
$110,833±$19k 36% above VT |
$71,250±$27k 12% below VT |
| Cornwall and Strafford 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 |
$458,000±$49kHighest 45% above VT |
$431,300±$40k 36% above VT |
$236,300±$15kLowest 25% below VT |
| Cornwall and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$537Highest 9% below VT |
$1,125±$206Highest 9% below VT |
$1,125±$789Highest 9% below VT |
$1,110±$93Lowest 10% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,438 8% above VT |
$6,726 33% above VT |
$7,149Highest 42% above VT |
$3,957Lowest 21% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.5%±39Lowest VT: 48.4% |
61.9%±65.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
44.6%±48 VT: 48.4% |
44.6%±27.2 VT: 48.4% |
| Cornwall and Strafford 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% |
5.2% VT: 10.1% |
4.9% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
94.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
88.9% VT: 73.2% |
79.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 3 yrs older than VT |
1976 same as VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
1972Lowest 4 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 36 min 53% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
23 minLowest about the VT average |
38 minHighest 60% above VT |
| Work from home | 19.3%±7.5 VT: 16.9% |
24.4%±6.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
16.1%±4.3 VT: 16.9% |
8.5%±3Lowest 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 | Strafford School District | Lamoille North Modified Union School District #058A |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.