Compare towns
Athens vs Halifax 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).
Halifax has the most people working from home (29.9%).
Waterville has the highest household income ($71k).
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 | Halifax | Waterville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 431Lowest |
847Highest |
680 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +5.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+1.9%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.3±6.5 10% above VT |
40.6±13.1Lowest 6% below VT |
49.1±8.2Highest 14% above VT |
| Waterville and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.9%±6.5Lowest VT: 17.9% |
25.4%±5.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
20.4%±8.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Halifax 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% |
22.6%±7.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
14.4%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Halifax 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 VT: 43.8% |
44.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
32.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±3 VT: 7% |
1.2%±0.9Lowest VT: 7% |
5.3%±3.3Highest VT: 7% |
| 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±$30k 16% below VT |
$63,889±$7kLowest 21% below VT |
$71,250±$27kHighest 12% below VT |
| Waterville 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±$32k 24% below VT |
$267,500±$21kHighest 16% below VT |
$236,300±$15kLowest 25% below VT |
| Halifax and Athens 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 |
$875±$154Lowest 29% below VT |
$1,110±$93 10% below VT |
| Athens and Waterville 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 |
$4,991 about the VT average |
$3,957Lowest 21% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.5%±39Lowest VT: 48.4% |
57.1%±73.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
44.6%±27.2 VT: 48.4% |
| Halifax 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 VT: 10.1% |
6% VT: 10.1% |
4.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
86.6%Highest VT: 73.2% |
79.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Highest 3 yrs older than VT |
1968Lowest 8 yrs older than VT |
1972 4 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 min 53% above VT |
33 minLowest 38% above VT |
38 minHighest 60% above VT |
| Work from home | 19.3%±7.5 VT: 16.9% |
29.9%±11.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
8.5%±3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Halifax and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | Halifax School District | Lamoille North Modified Union School District #058A |
| 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.