Compare towns
Athens vs Fairfield vs Townshend
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).
Fairfield has the most kids (25.4% under 18).
Townshend has the most people working from home (28%).
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 | Fairfield | Townshend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 431Lowest |
1,938Highest |
1,538 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +8.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+4.8%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.3±6.5 10% above VT |
42.3±2.7Lowest about the VT average |
55.6±9.6Highest 29% above VT |
| Townshend and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.9%±6.5 VT: 17.9% |
25.4%±5Highest VT: 17.9% |
12%±2.6Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Fairfield and Athens 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% |
14.3%±1.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
19.3%±6.6 VT: 21.4% |
| Athens and Townshend 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% |
30.2%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
52.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±3Highest VT: 7% |
3.5%±1.6 VT: 7% |
1.4%±0.8Lowest VT: 7% |
| Athens and Fairfield 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 |
$87,019±$22kHighest 7% above VT |
$78,750±$29k 3% below VT |
| Fairfield 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±$32kLowest 24% below VT |
$320,600±$22kHighest about the VT average |
$287,200±$79k 9% below VT |
| Fairfield and Townshend 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 |
$1,056±$441Lowest 14% below VT |
$1,074±$80 13% below VT |
| Athens and Townshend 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 |
$4,816Lowest 4% below VT |
$5,364 6% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.5%±39 VT: 48.4% |
29.2%±20.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
72.5%±23.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Townshend and Athens 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% |
5.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.1% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
88.5%Highest VT: 73.2% |
82.6% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 3 yrs older than VT |
1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
1982 6 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 53% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
25 min 6% above VT |
| Work from home | 19.3%±7.5 VT: 16.9% |
7.8%±3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
28%±18.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Townshend and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 | West River Valley Union Education District #72B · West River Valley Union Education District #72A |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Leland & Gray Union Middle & High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 8.1 |
| 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.