Compare towns
Athens vs Goshen 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).
Goshen has the most expensive homes ($330k median).
Westminster has the most people working from home (27%).
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 | Goshen | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 431 |
142Lowest |
2,999Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | — | -5.1% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.3±6.5Lowest 10% above VT |
58.9±8.3Highest 37% above VT |
53.5±3.7 24% above VT |
| Goshen and Westminster 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% |
10.6%±11.6Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.2%±4.7Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Westminster and Athens 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% |
37.3%±11.7Highest VT: 21.4% |
27.6%±6.8 VT: 21.4% |
| Goshen and Westminster 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% |
42.3% VT: 43.8% |
46.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±3Highest VT: 7% |
0%±10Lowest VT: 7% |
4.4%±3.1 VT: 7% |
| Athens and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $68,438±$30k 16% below VT |
$56,250±$33kLowest 31% below VT |
$71,491±$4kHighest 12% below VT |
| Westminster and Athens 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 |
$330,000±$115kHighest 4% above VT |
$273,800±$35k 14% below VT |
| Goshen and Westminster 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 |
— | $916±$126Lowest 26% below VT |
| Athens and Westminster 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 |
$5,240 4% above VT |
$4,063Lowest 19% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.5%±39Lowest VT: 48.4% |
— | 49.2%±7.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Westminster and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.1% VT: 10.1% |
16.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
100%Highest VT: 73.2% |
88.2% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 3 yrs older than VT |
1978 2 yrs newer than VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 53% above VT |
21 minLowest 11% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 19.3%±7.5 VT: 16.9% |
12.1%±9.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
27%±6.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Westminster and Athens 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 | — | — | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District |
| High school 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 |
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.